A 5274: Establishes a separate states working group to conduct a study on Long Island statehood which includes a cost benefit analysis on Long Island statehood.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5274 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 12, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. K. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Governmental Operations AN ACT in relation to establishing a separate states working group to conduct a study on Long Island statehood; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. There is hereby established within the office of the state 2 comptroller a working group to be known as the "separate states working 3 group". The working group shall conduct a study examining dividing New 4 York into separate states by having the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, 5 hereinafter referred to as "Long Island", become a separate state. Such 6 study shall include, but not be limited to: 7 (a) a cost benefit analysis of separating New York into two separate 8 states, including, but not limited to, economic opportunity for both 9 areas; 10 (b) the legal ramifications of separating New York into two separate 11 states; 12 (c) the general up-front cost associated with separating New York into 13 two separate states, exclusive of the long-term economic ramifications, 14 including, but not limited to the cost of creating two new state govern- 15 ments, the separation of the physical and organizational infrastructure, 16 and the cost of settling land disputes; 17 (d) the constitutional steps necessary to separate New York into two 18 separate states; and 19 (e) any constitutional precedents in the United States for dividing a 20 state into two separate states. 21 § 2. The working group shall consist of the following: 22 (a) the state comptroller and their designee; 23 (b) one member appointed by the comptroller; 24 (c) the attorney general and their designee; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06294-01-5 
 A. 5274 2 1 (d) one member appointed by the attorney general; 2 (e) two members appointed by the governor; 3 (f) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly; 4 (g) one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate; 5 (h) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; 6 (i) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 7 (j) two members appointed by the New York State Association of Coun- 8 ties; 9 (k) two members appointed by the New York State Conference of Mayors 10 and Municipal Officials; and 11 (l) two members appointed by the Association of Towns of the State of 12 New York. 13 § 3. At the conclusion of the study, the working group will deliver a 14 report of its findings to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the 15 temporary president of the senate, the minority leader of the assembly, 16 the minority leader of the senate and the comptroller. Such report shall 17 be submitted no later than twelve months following the effective date of 18 this act. 19 § 4. The members and staff personnel of the separate states working 20 group shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible to receive 21 reimbursement for their reasonable, actual and necessary expenses, 22 provided however, members of the working group representing state agen- 23 cies may receive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses 24 from their respective agencies. Members of the separate states working 25 group shall be considered state employees for the purposes of sections 26 17 and 19 of the public officers law. 27 § 5. For the purposes of this act, the comptroller may conduct such 28 study in conjunction with any other department, division, board, bureau, 29 commission, agency, or public authority of the state they deem neces- 30 sary. To the maximum extent feasible, the comptroller shall be author- 31 ized to request, receive, and utilize such resources and data of any 32 other department, division, board, bureau, commission, agency, or public 33 authority of the state as they may reasonably request to properly carry 34 out their powers and duties pursuant to this act. 35 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 36 deemed repealed two years after such date.