Senate Bill S9167

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9167
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 10, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- 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 section 1 of article 5 of the constitution, in
   relation to requiring  the  comptroller  review  and  approve  certain
   contracts

   Section  1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 1 of arti-
 cle 5 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 REVIEW AND APPROVE CONTRACTS MADE FOR OR BY ANY
 STATE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT, BOARD,  OFFICER,  COMMISSION,  OR  INSTITUTION
 PRIOR  TO  BEING EXECUTED OR BECOMING EFFECTIVE EXCEPT THAT THE LEGISLA-
 TURE SHALL SET A MINIMUM CONTRACT VALUE FOR SUCH REVIEW AND APPROVAL  BY
 JOINT  RESOLUTION  OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY UPON RECOMMENDATION OF THE
 COMPTROLLER, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, ANY SUCH  REVIEW  AND  APPROVAL  MAY  BE
 TEMPORARILY  SUSPENDED  BY THE GOVERNOR DURING A DECLARED DISASTER EMER-
 GENCY AS PROVIDED FOR BY LAW, WHICH THE LEGISLATURE MAY TERMINATE AT ANY
 TIME BY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION.  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] THE COMPTROLLER: (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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD89137-01-6
 S. 9167                             2

 real  estate, including determination of ratios which the assessed valu-
 ation 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 village by virtue of sections seven and eight of
 article nine of this constitution. The legislature shall assign to  [him
 or  her] THE COMPTROLLER no administrative duties, excepting such as may
 be incidental to the performance of these functions, any other provision
 of this constitution to the contrary notwithstanding.
   § 2. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing  amendments
 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 3 months previous to the time of such election.