S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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     S. 3175                                                  A. 2398
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                       S E N A T E - A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 20, 2017
                                ___________
 
 IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print-
   ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Govern-
   ment
 
 IN  ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, GARBARINO, PALUMBO, SALA-
   DINO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental  Oper-
   ations

 AN  ACT  in relation to establishing a bi-county commission in the coun-
   ties of Nassau and Suffolk to study the  feasibility  of  establishing
   the state of Long Island
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings: Nassau and Suffolk counties  comprise
 an  area  of  2,826 square miles, larger than the states of Rhode Island
 and Delaware. The combined population  of  the  two  counties  is  2.832
 million which is greater than the population of 17 states. For the years
 2002-2004,  Long  Island  paid  8.124 billion dollars in state taxes yet
 only 5.2 billion dollars was  returned  in  direct  local  aid,  tuition
 assistance,  highway  aid, pension payments, lottery money, metropolitan
 transportation authority subsidies and Medicaid payments. For many years
 the question of forming the state of Long Island has been  discussed  in
 public  and  academic forums. The issue should be investigated, a report
 prepared and referendum held in Nassau and Suffolk counties so the citi-
 zens may be heard.
   § 2. There is  hereby  established  a  Nassau  and  Suffolk  bi-county
 commission  to study the feasibility of forming the state of Long Island
 to consist of the counties of Nassau and Suffolk. Such commission  shall
 be  comprised  of  24  members, 12 of whom shall reside in the county of
 Nassau and 12 of whom shall reside in the county of Suffolk. The  county
 executive  of each county shall serve on the commission as co-chairs. Of
 the remaining 22 members, 5 members from each county shall be  appointed
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD04090-01-7

 S. 3175                             2                            A. 2398
 
 by  the  county  executive  of the county in which such county executive
 serves; 3 members from each county shall be appointed  by  the  majority
 leader  of the county legislature from the county in which such majority
 leader  serves, and 3 members from each county shall be appointed by the
 minority leader of the county legislature from the county in which  such
 minority  leader  serves.  Members  of  the  commission shall receive no
 compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their  actual  and
 necessary  expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Members
 of the commission shall  serve  at  the  pleasure  of  their  appointing
 authority.  Vacancies  on  the  commission  shall  be filled in the same
 manner as the original appointment.
   § 3. The study  authorized  by  section  two  of  this  act  shall  be
 completed and submitted to the Nassau county legislature and the Suffolk
 county legislature on or before July 1, 2019.
   §  4.  At the general election to be held November 5, 2019, the county
 of Nassau and the county of Suffolk shall be submitted to the voters  of
 such  counties, a referendum concerning whether or not the state of Long
 Island shall be formed. Such referendum shall be deemed approved  if  it
 is  approved  by  a  majority of the voters voting on such referendum in
 each county, provided however that the approval of such referendum shall
 not be binding upon the county of Nassau or the county of Suffolk.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.