Senate Bill S2744

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

                                  2744

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 23, 2013
                               ___________

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

            CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

proposing an amendment to article V of  the  constitution,  relating  to
  membership in retirement systems and that benefits not be diminished

  Section  1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 1 of arti-
cle V of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
  Section 1. The comptroller and attorney-general shall be chosen at the
same general election as the governor and hold office for the same term,
and shall possess the qualifications provided in section  2  of  article
IV. The legislature shall provide for filling vacancies in the office of
comptroller  and of attorney-general. No election of a comptroller or an
attorney-general shall be had except at the time of electing a governor.
The comptroller shall be required: (1)  to  audit  all  vouchers  before
payment  and  all  official  accounts;  (2)  to  audit  the  accrual and
collection of all revenues and receipts; [and]  (3)  to  prescribe  such
methods  of accounting as are necessary for the performance of the fore-
going duties; AND (4) TO BE  THE  SOLE  CUSTODIAN  AND  MANAGER  OF  THE
PENSION  FUNDS  PROVIDED  PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE, AND
FURTHER TO DETERMINE THE METHODOLOGY FOR VALUING THE ASSETS, LIABILITIES
AND OBLIGATIONS OF SUCH FUNDS.  The payment of any money of  the  state,
or  of  any  money under its control, or the refund of any money paid to
the state, except upon audit by the comptroller, shall be void, and  may
be  restrained  upon  the  suit  of any taxpayer with the consent of the
supreme court in appellate division on notice to  the  attorney-general.
In  such  respect the legislature shall define the powers and duties and
may also assign to him or her: (1) supervision of the  accounts  of  any
political subdivision of the state; and (2) powers and duties pertaining
to or connected with the assessment and taxation of real estate, includ-
ing determination of ratios which the assessed valuation of taxable real
property  bears  to the full valuation thereof, but not including any of
those powers and duties reserved to officers of a county, city, town  or

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

                                                           LBD89061-01-3

S. 2744                             2

village  by  virtue  of sections seven and eight of article nine of this
constitution. The legislature shall assign to him or her no  administra-
tive  duties,  excepting such as may be incidental to the performance of
these functions, any other provision of this constitution to the contra-
ry notwithstanding.
  S 2. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 7 of article V of
the constitution be amended to read as follows:
  S  7.  After  July  first,  nineteen  hundred forty, membership in any
pension or retirement system of the state or of a civil division thereof
shall be a contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not  be
diminished  or impaired.  HOWEVER, THE METHODOLOGY SELECTED BY THE COMP-
TROLLER PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL NOT BE  CONSIDERED
AN IMPAIRMENT OF PENSION BENEFITS PURSUANT TO THIS OR ANY OTHER SECTION,
IF THE ACTUAL AND TANGIBLE BENEFIT RECEIVED BY THE RETIREE IS NOT DIMIN-
ISHED.
  S  3.  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 3 months previous to the time of such election.