BILL NUMBER: S1944
SPONSOR: WEBER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the judiciary law, in relation to creating a fourteenth
judicial district
 
PURPOSE:
To create a fourteenth judicial district.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: amends section 70 of the judiciary law to account for the
newly created fourteenth judicial district.
Section 2: amends section 140 of the judiciary law to account for the
fourteenth judicial district and amends the composition of the ninth
judicial district.
Section 3: amends section 140-a of the judiciary law.
Section 4: names the justices for the ninth and fourteenth judicial,
districts.
Section 5: if any provisions of any section of this act shall be held
void or unconstitutional, all other provisions and all other sections of
this act which are not expressly held to be void or unconstitutional
shall continue in full force and effect.
Section 6: provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties are currently in the
same judicial district as Westchester County. Westchester County
accounts for roughly 47% of the population, yet 72% of the judges are
elected from Westchester County. This bill would create a separate judi-
cial district for Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess Counties to
ensure equal representation and provide for the election of judges who
can better serve the residents of these counties.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021 - 2022: S.6674
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S1944: 70 judiciary law, 140-a judiciary law