S 2563: Designates that the commissioners of public service shall be elected in a manner to be prescribed by law.
The proposed constitutional amendment would change the way public service commissioners are elected. Currently, the heads of departments are appointed by the governor, but the commissioners of public service would be elected in a manner to be prescribed by law. This change would affect the department of education, where the regents would appoint and remove the commissioner of education. The amendment also clarifies the roles of the heads of other departments and boards, stating they would be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The proposed amendment would be referred to the first regular legislative session after the next general election and published for three months prior to the election.
| Feb. 03, 2026 | OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY |
| Jan. 08, 2026 | TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION |
| Jan. 07, 2026 | REFERRED TO JUDICIARY |
| Feb. 05, 2025 | OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY |
| Jan. 22, 2025 | TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2563 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- 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 4 of article 5 of the constitution, in relation to election of public service commissioners 1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 4 of arti- 2 cle 5 of the constitution be amended to read as follows: 3 § 4. The head of the department of audit and control shall be the 4 comptroller and of the department of law, the attorney-general. The head 5 of the department of education shall be The Regents of the University of 6 the State of New York, who shall appoint and at pleasure remove a 7 commissioner of education to be the chief administrative officer of the 8 department. The head of the department of agriculture and markets shall 9 be appointed in a manner to be prescribed by law. The commissioners of 10 public service shall be elected in a manner to be prescribed by law. 11 Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, the heads of all 12 other departments and the members of all boards and commissions, except- 13 ing temporary commissions for special purposes, shall be appointed by 14 the governor by and with the advice and consent of the senate and may be 15 removed by the governor, in a manner to be prescribed by law. 16 § 2. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing amendment 17 be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the 18 next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in 19 conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be 20 published for 3 months previous to the time of such election. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD89059-01-5