BILL NUMBER: S6789
SPONSOR: GRIFFO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment
to article 4 of the constitution, in relation to the filling of vacan-
cies in the office of lieutenant-governor or governor
 
PURPOSE:
To make the process for selecting a new Lieutenant Governor more open
and transparent.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 6 of article 4 of the constitution of the State
of New York by adding new provisions in case of a vacancy in the office
of Lieutenant Governor. This legislation would give the Governor 45 days
to nominate a new Lieutenant Governor from the time a vacancy was
created. Once the nominee is announced, the Legislature is given 45 days
to vote on the nominee. If this nominee is not approved, the Governor
has 30 days to nominate and new candidate, and the legislature has 30
days to vote on the new nominee. The bill also changes the line of
succession in the constitution, changing the current order from Assembly
Speaker-Attorney General-Comptroller-Commissioner of Transportation to
Assembly SpeakerComptroller-Attorney General-Secretary of State.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Past vacancies in the office of Lieutenant Governor called attention to
the fact that under current law, there is no method available to appoint
a new Lieutenant Governor. This bill would enact a system identical to
the one used under the Federal Constitution to fill a vacancy in the
office of the Vice-President. Requiring separate votes from each House
of the Legislature, rather than a single vote in joint session, ensures
that no single House has enough votes to confirm the nomination by
itself. It also ensures the legislature has enough time to properly
verify the candidacy of the Lieutenant Governor nominee.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024 - S.8346 - Judiciary Committee
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.