BILL NUMBER: S8678
SPONSOR: O'MARA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to allowing the
Seneca county attorney to reside in a county adjoining Seneca county
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would allow Seneca County to consider candidates for county
attorney who reside in an adjoining county. Making this change would
allow county leadership to consider a wider range of qualified candi-
dates.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Amends Section 3 of the public officer's law by adding a new subdivision
74 to read as follows: 74. In the county of Seneca, the provisions of
this section requiring a person to be a resident of the political subdi-
vision or municipal corporation of the state for which he or she shall
be chosen or within his or her official functions are required to be
exercised, shall not prevent a person regularly admitted to practice as
an attorney or counselor in the courts of record of this state from
holding the office of Seneca County attorney, provided that such person
resides in the county of Seneca, or an adjoining county within the state
of New York. Provided, however, the person performing the functions of
county attorney in any other county shall be a resident of such county,
unless otherwise provided by an act of the state legislature.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
As a rural county with a decreasing population, the ability for Seneca
County to consider an expanded range of highly qualified candidates is
essential to ensuring that the county attorney's office is adequately
staffed.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

Statutes affected:
S8678: 3 public officers law