Senate Bill S6254

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6254

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            October 30, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  DUANE  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

            CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

proposing an amendment to section 25 of article VI of the  constitution,
  in relation to eliminating mandatory retirement for judges

  Section 1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 25 of arti-
cle VI of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
  S  25.  [a.]  The  compensation  of a judge of the court of appeals, a
justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of claims, a judge of
the county court, a judge of the surrogate's court, a judge of the fami-
ly court, a judge of a court for the city of New York established pursu-
ant to section fifteen of this article, a judge of the district court or
of a retired judge or justice shall be established by law and shall  not
be  diminished during the term of office for which he or she was elected
or appointed. Any judge or justice of a court abolished by section thir-
ty-five of this article, who pursuant to that section becomes a judge or
justice of a court established  or  continued  by  this  article,  shall
receive without interruption or diminution for the remainder of the term
for  which he or she was elected or appointed to the abolished court the
compensation he or she had been receiving upon  the  effective  date  of
this  article  together  with  any  additional  compensation that may be
prescribed by law.
  [b. Each judge of the court of appeals, justice of the supreme  court,
judge  of  the  court of claims, judge of the county court, judge of the
surrogate's court, judge of the family court, judge of a court  for  the
city of New York established pursuant to section fifteen of this article
and judge of the district court shall retire on the last day of December
in  the  year  in  which he or she reaches the age of seventy. Each such
former judge of the court of appeals and justice of  the  supreme  court
may  thereafter  perform  the  duties of a justice of the supreme court,
with power to hear and  determine  actions  and  proceedings,  provided,
however,  that  it  shall  be certificated in the manner provided by law

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD89164-01-9

S. 6254                             2

that the services of such judge or justice are necessary to expedite the
business of the court and that he or she is mentally and physically able
and competent to perform the  full  duties  of  such  office.  Any  such
certification shall be valid for a term of two years and may be extended
as provided by law for additional terms of two years. A retired judge or
justice shall serve no longer than until the last day of December in the
year  in which he or she reaches the age of seventy-six. A retired judge
or justice shall be subject to assignment by the appellate  division  of
the  supreme  court  of the judicial department of his or her residence.
Any retired justice of the supreme court who had been designated to  and
served  as a justice of any appellate division immediately preceding his
or her reaching the age of seventy shall be eligible for designation  by
the governor as a temporary or additional justice of the appellate divi-
sion. A retired judge or justice shall not be counted in determining the
number  of justices in a judicial district for purposes of subdivision d
of section six of this article.
  c. The provisions of this section shall  also  be  applicable  to  any
judge  or justice who has not reached the age of seventy-six and to whom
it would otherwise have been applicable but for the fact that he or  she
reached the age of seventy and retired before the effective date of this
article.]
  S  2.  Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing amendment
be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
next succeeding general election of members of  the  assembly,  and,  in
conformity  with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution, be
published for three months previous to the time of such election.