Bill Cosponsored by Funke Setting Term Limits on Legislative Leaders Passes Senate

Legislation holds Senate President, Assembly Speaker, Senate Minority Leader, Assembly Minority Leader, and committee chairs to terms of no more than eight years.

The New York State Senate today passed S.2722B, a bill cosponsored by Senator Rich Funke to set term limits on leaders in the State Legislature. The bill, which received bipartisan support, limits the amount of time any member can serve in the leadership positions of Temporary President of the Senate, Speaker of the Assembly, Senate Minority Leader, Assembly Minority Leader, and chair of any legislative committee to a term of no more than eight years. 

“I took this job to make Albany work better for the people of Monroe and Ontario counties and that starts with making our legislative leaders more accountable to all New Yorkers,” said Funke. “Setting term limits for decision makers in powerful posts is one way we can better incorporate new voices and instill trust in State government. It’s my hope that this common-sense legislation will find the same strong support in the Assembly and from the Governor as it did in the Senate.” 

S.2722B is intended to limit the tenures of decision makers in powerful posts and better incorporate new voices and perspectives in the Legislature’s representation of the people of New York State. It is cosponsored by Senators Funke, Joseph A. Griffo (R-C-I, Rome), Thomas W. Libous (R-C-I, Binghamton), George A. Amedore (R-C-I, Rotterdam), John Bonacic (R-C-I, Mount Hope), David Carlucci (D, Rockland/Westchester), John DeFrancisco (R-C-I, Syracuse), Patrick Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma), William J. Larkin Jr. (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson), Thomas F. O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), Robert G. Ortt (R-C-I, North Tonawanda), Michael H. Ranzenhofer (R-C-I, Amherst), Patty Ritchie (R-C, Heuvelton), and Sue Serino (R-C-I, Hyde Park). 

A copy of the Bill is attached.