S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6783
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 20, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. DiPIETRO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT establishing a working group within the office of the state comp-
   troller  to  study the process and ramifications of separating upstate
   and downstate New York into two separate states

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. There is hereby established within the office of the state
 comptroller a working group to be known as the "separate states  working
 group". The working group shall conduct a study examining:
   (a)  the  economic  ramifications over the short term and long term of
 separating upstate and downstate New  York  into  two  separate  states,
 including, but not limited to, economic opportunity for both areas;
   (b)  the  legal  ramifications of separating upstate and downstate New
 York into two separate states;
   (c) the general up-front cost associated with separating  upstate  and
 downstate  New York into two separate states, exclusive of the long term
 economic ramifications, including, but not limited to the cost of creat-
 ing two new state governments, the separation of the physical and organ-
 izational infrastructure, the cost of settling land disputes;
   (d) the constitutional steps necessary to separate upstate  and  down-
 state New York into two separate states; and
   (e)  any constitutional precedents in the United States for dividing a
 state into two separate states.
   § 2. The working group shall consist of the following:
   (a) the state comptroller and his or her designee;
   (b) one member appointed by the comptroller;
   (c) the attorney general and his or her designee;
   (d) one member appointed by the attorney general;
   (e) two members appointed by the governor;
   (f) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD09787-05-9

 A. 6783                             2
 
   (g) one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
   (h) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
   (i) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
   (j)  two  members appointed by the New York State Association of Coun-
 ties;
   (k) two members appointed by the New York State Conference  of  Mayors
 and Municipal Officials; and
   (l)  two members appointed by the Association of Towns of the State of
 New York.
   § 3. At the conclusion of the study, the working group will deliver  a
 report of its findings to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the
 temporary  president of the senate, the minority leader of the assembly,
 the minority leader of the senate and the comptroller. Such report shall
 be submitted no later than twelve months following the effective date of
 this act.
   § 4. The members and staff personnel of the  separate  states  working
 group shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible to receive
 reimbursement  for  their  reasonable,  actual  and  necessary expenses,
 provided however, members of the working group representing state  agen-
 cies  may  receive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses
 from their respective agencies. Members of the separate  states  working
 group  shall  be considered state employees for the purposes of sections
 17 and 19 of the public officers law.
   § 5. For the purposes of this act, the comptroller  may  conduct  such
 study in conjunction with any other department, division, board, bureau,
 commission,  agency,  or  public  authority of the state he or she deems
 necessary. To the maximum extent  feasible,  the  comptroller  shall  be
 authorized  to  request, receive, and utilize such resources and data of
 any other department, division, board, bureau,  commission,  agency,  or
 public  authority  of  the  state as he or she may reasonably request to
 properly carry out his or her powers and duties pursuant to this act.
   § 6. As used in this act:
   (a) "short term" means a period of less than ten years;
   (b) "long term" means a period in excess of ten years;
   (c) "downstate" means the counties of Nassau,  Rockland,  Suffolk  and
 Westchester  and the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx,
 and Staten Island; and
   (d) "upstate" means that portion of New York not designated as  "down-
 state".
   §  7.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.