A 11550: Provides that in the fourth judicial department, three new districts, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen are added; makes related provisions.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 11550  IN ASSEMBLY June 1, 2026 ___________ Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Rivera, Peoples-Stokes) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to judicial departments The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 70 of the judiciary law, as amended by chapter 690 2 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 70. Judicial departments. The state is hereby divided into four 4 judicial departments. The first department shall consist of the counties 5 embraced within the first and twelfth judicial districts; the second 6 department shall consist of the counties embraced within the second, 7 ninth, tenth, eleventh and thirteenth judicial districts; the third 8 department shall consist of the counties embraced within the third, 9 fourth and sixth judicial districts; the fourth department shall consist 10 of the counties embraced within the fifth, seventh [and], eighth, four- 11 teenth, fifteenth and sixteenth judicial districts. 12 § 2. Section 140 of the judiciary law, as amended by chapter 10 of the 13 laws of 1948, the opening paragraph and the second undesignated para- 14 graph as amended and the thirteenth undesignated paragraph as added by 15 chapter 690 of the laws of 2007, the first undesignated paragraph as 16 amended by chapter 1006 of the laws of 1981, the tenth undesignated 17 paragraph as amended and the eleventh undesignated paragraph as added by 18 chapter 692 of the laws of 1962, and the twelfth undesignated paragraph 19 as amended by chapter 38 of the laws of 1982, is amended and three new 20 undesignated paragraphs are added to read as follows: 21 § 140. Division of state into judicial districts. The state is hereby 22 divided into [thirteen] sixteen judicial districts, pursuant to the 23 provisions of the first section of the sixth article of the constitu- 24 tion, which districts shall be arranged as follows: 25 The first judicial district shall consist of the county of New York; 26 The second judicial district shall consist of the county of Kings; 27 The third judicial district shall consist of the counties of Columbia, 28 Sullivan, Ulster, Greene, Albany, Schoharie and Rensselaer; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13372-06-6 
 A. 11550 2 1 The fourth judicial district shall consist of the counties of Warren, 2 Saratoga, Washington, Essex, Franklin, Saint Lawrence, Clinton, Montgom- 3 ery, Hamilton, Fulton and Schenectady; 4 The fifth judicial district shall consist of the counties of [Ononda- 5 ga,] Oneida, Oswego, Herkimer, Jefferson and Lewis; 6 The sixth judicial district shall consist of the counties of Otsego, 7 Delaware, Madison, Chenango, Broome, Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins, Cortland 8 and Schuyler; 9 The seventh judicial district shall consist of the counties of Living- 10 ston, Wayne, Seneca, Yates, Ontario, Steuben, [Monroe] and Cayuga; 11 The eighth judicial district shall consist of the counties of [Erie,] 12 Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Orleans, Niagara, Genesee, Allegany and Wyom- 13 ing; 14 The ninth judicial district shall consist of the counties of Westches- 15 ter, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange and Rockland; 16 The tenth judicial district shall consist of the counties of Nassau 17 and Suffolk. 18 The eleventh judicial district shall consist of the county of Queens. 19 The creation of such eleventh district shall not affect or impair the 20 rights, privileges or compensation of any officer or employee of the 21 supreme court in office on the first day of September, nineteen hundred 22 and sixty-two in the tenth judicial district as theretofore constituted; 23 each such officer or employee employed in the county of Queens on such 24 date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the eleventh judi- 25 cial district and each such officer or employee employed in the counties 26 of Nassau and Suffolk on such date shall thereafter be an officer or 27 employee for the tenth judicial district. 28 The twelfth judicial district shall consist of the county of Bronx. 29 The creation of such twelfth district shall not affect or impair the 30 rights, privileges or compensation of any officer or employee of the 31 supreme court in office on the first day of January, nineteen hundred 32 eighty-three in the first judicial district as theretofore constituted; 33 each such officer or employee employed in the county of Bronx on such 34 date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the twelfth judicial 35 district and each such officer or employee employed in the county of New 36 York on such date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the 37 first judicial district. 38 The thirteenth judicial district shall consist of the county of Rich- 39 mond. The creation of such thirteenth district shall not affect or 40 impair the rights, privileges or compensation of any officer or employee 41 of the supreme court in office on the first day of January, two thousand 42 eight in the second judicial district as theretofore constituted; each 43 such officer or employee employed in the county of Richmond on such date 44 shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the thirteenth judicial 45 district and each such officer or employee employed in the county of 46 Kings on such date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the 47 second judicial district. 48 The fourteenth judicial district shall consist of the county of Onon- 49 daga. The creation of such fourteenth district shall not affect or 50 impair the rights, privileges or compensation of any officer or employee 51 of the unified court system in office on the first day of January, two 52 thousand twenty-eight in the fifth judicial district as theretofore 53 constituted; each such officer or employee employed in the county of 54 Onondaga on such date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the 55 fourteenth judicial district and each such officer or employee employed 56 in the counties of Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, and Oswego on 
 A. 11550 3 1 such date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the fifth judi- 2 cial district. 3 The fifteenth judicial district shall consist of the county of Monroe. 4 The creation of such fifteenth judicial district shall not affect or 5 impair the rights, privileges, or compensation of any officer or employ- 6 ee of the unified court system in office on the first day of January, 7 two thousand twenty-eight in the seventh judicial district as thereto- 8 fore constituted; each such officer or employee employed in the counties 9 of Livingston, Steuben, Cayuga, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates on such 10 date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the seventh judicial 11 district and each such officer or employee employed in the county of 12 Monroe on such date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the 13 fifteenth judicial district; 14 The sixteenth judicial district shall consist of the county of Erie. 15 The creation of such sixteenth district shall not affect or impair the 16 rights, privileges or compensation of any officer or employee of the 17 unified court system in the office on the first day of January, two 18 thousand twenty-eight in the eighth judicial district as theretofore 19 constituted; each such officer or employee employed in the county of 20 Erie on such date shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the 21 sixteenth judicial district and each such officer or employee employed 22 in the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Niagara, 23 Orleans, and Wyoming shall thereafter be an officer or employee for the 24 eighth judicial district. 25 § 3. Section 140-a of the judiciary law, as amended by chapter 749 of 26 the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows: 27 § 140-a. Number of supreme court justices in each judicial district. 28 The number of justices of the supreme court in each judicial district 29 shall be as follows: 30 1. First district, thirty-eight; 31 2. Second district, fifty-three; 32 3. Third district, seventeen; 33 4. Fourth district, fourteen; 34 5. Fifth district, [nineteen] nine; 35 6. Sixth district, eleven; 36 7. Seventh district, [twenty] seven; 37 8. Eighth district, [twenty-eight] nine; 38 9. Ninth district, thirty-four; 39 10. Tenth district, fifty-one; 40 11. Eleventh district, forty-four; 41 12. Twelfth district, twenty-nine; 42 13. Thirteenth district, nine[.]; 43 14. Fourteenth district, nine; 44 15. Fifteenth district, fourteen; 45 16. Sixteenth district, nineteen. 46 No person may serve in the office of justice of the supreme court 47 unless [he or she] such person has been admitted to practice law in the 48 state of New York for at least ten years as of the date [he or she 49 commences] they commence the duties of office. 50 § 4. The following named justices or their successors in office on the 51 effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for 52 which they were elected or appointed be justices of the supreme court in 53 and for the fifth judicial district as reconstituted and continued by 54 this act. 55 Julie Denton 
 A. 11550 4 1 Danielle M. Fogel 2 Elizabeth Snyder Fortino 3 Gregory R. Gilbert 4 James P. McClusky 5 William Ramseier 6 Candace L.L. Randall 7 Peter M. Rayhill 8 Mark Rose 9 The following named justices or their successors in office on the 10 effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for 11 which they were elected or appointed be justices of the supreme court in 12 and for the seventh judicial district as reconstituted and continued by 13 this act. 14 Elena F. Cariola 15 Jason Cook 16 William K. Taylor 17 Sam L. Valleriani 18 James Vazzana 19 Joseph D. Waldorf 20 Jean Marie Westlake 21 The following named justices or their successors in office on the 22 effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for 23 which they were elected or appointed be justices of the supreme court in 24 and for the eighth judicial district as reconstituted and continued by 25 this act. 26 Frank Caruso 27 Deborah A. Chimes 28 Emilio L. Colaiacovo 29 Gerald Greenan, III 30 Grace M. Hanlon 31 Joseph Lorigo 32 Michael Norris 33 Raymond W. Walter 34 Paul B. Wojtaszek 35 The following named justices or their successors in office on the 36 effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for 37 which they were elected or appointed be justices of the supreme court in 38 and for the fourteenth judicial district as created and constituted by 39 this act. 40 Robert E. Antonacci, II 41 Scott J. DelConte 42 John W. Dillon 43 Donald A. Greenwood 44 Deborah H. Karalunas 45 Kevin P. Kuehner 46 Rory McMahon 47 James P. Murphy 48 Gerard J. Neri 49 The following named justices or their successors in office on the 50 effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for 
 A. 11550 5 1 which they were elected or appointed be justices of the supreme court in 2 and for the fifteenth judicial district as created and constituted by 3 this act. 4 Victoria M. Argento 5 Vincent M. DiNolfo 6 Daniel J. Doyle 7 John B. Gallagher 8 Darius Lind 9 Stephen K. Lindley 10 Kevin M. Nasca 11 Alexander R. Renzi 12 Stacey Romeo 13 Charles A. Schiano, Jr. 14 David Siguenza 15 Judith A. Sinclair 16 Erin Skinner 17 James E. Walsh 18 The following named justices or their successors in office on the 19 effective date of this act shall for the remainder of the terms for 20 which they were elected or appointed by justices of the supreme court in 21 and for the sixteenth judicial district as created and constituted by 22 this act. 23 Tracey A. Bannister 24 John M. Curran 25 Jorge DeRosas 26 Paula L. Feroleto 27 Deborah A. Haendiges 28 Craig D. Hannah 29 Shannon Heneghan 30 Lynn M. Keane 31 John B. Licata 32 Amy Martoche 33 Mark A. Montour 34 Henry J. Nowak 35 Catherine R. Nugent 36 E. Jeannette Ogden 37 Frank A. Sedita, III 38 Donna M. Siwek 39 Mary L. Slisz 40 Kelly Vacco 41 Gerald J. Whalen 42 § 5. It is the intended object of this act to erect, in the fourth 43 judicial department, the fourteenth judicial district, comprising the 44 county of Onondaga, the fifteenth judicial district, comprising the 45 county of Monroe and the sixteenth judicial district comprising the 46 county of Erie and to provide for the employees thereof selection, 47 designation, nomination and election in the general election to be held 48 in November 2027 of justices whose term is ending or a vacancy exists of 49 the fifth, seventh, eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth judicial 50 districts consistent with the foregoing provisions of this act, the 51 state constitution and the laws of the state. Any other consistent 52 provision of law, rule or regulation which by its terms or in its appli- 
 A. 11550 6 1 cation aids in the accomplishment of such object shall be given full 2 force and effect. Any provision which is inconsistent with the accom- 3 plishment of such object shall be denied force and effect to the extent 4 that it may be applicable thereto. 5 § 6. If any provision of any section of this act is held void or 6 unconstitutional, all other provisions and all other sections of this 7 act which are not expressly held to be void or unconstitutional shall 8 continue in full force and effect. 9 § 7. This act shall take effect immediately except that the provisions 10 of sections one, two, three, and four of this act shall take effect 11 January 1, 2028.