* § 83-h. Legislative commission on state-local relations. 1.
(a)The\nlegislature hereby finds that a strong relationship between the state\nand its counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts and other\nunits of government is central to the effective provision of government\nservices for the benefit of the people of the state. This relationship\nencompasses state mandates on local governments to provide certain\nservices and perform certain activities; state limits on the ability of\nlocal governments to provide services, raise revenue and incur debt; and\nstate programs of assistance to relieve local governments of a portion\nof the responsibility for raising revenues to meet the costs of local\nservices. Categorical programs of state assistance help local\ngovernments finance
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* § 83-h. Legislative commission on state-local relations. 1. (a) The\nlegislature hereby finds that a strong relationship between the state\nand its counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts and other\nunits of government is central to the effective provision of government\nservices for the benefit of the people of the state. This relationship\nencompasses state mandates on local governments to provide certain\nservices and perform certain activities; state limits on the ability of\nlocal governments to provide services, raise revenue and incur debt; and\nstate programs of assistance to relieve local governments of a portion\nof the responsibility for raising revenues to meet the costs of local\nservices. Categorical programs of state assistance help local\ngovernments finance specific services of importance to the people of the\nstate, while programs of state general purpose aid provide local\ngovernments with general assistance in meeting the costs of services,\nincluding state mandated activities.\n (b) The legislature further finds that proposals to amend state\ncategorical or general purpose assistance programs, to shift costs or\nresponsibilities between the state and local governments, or to alter or\nimpose local taxing, borrowing or spending limits should be evaluated in\nthe context of all the various elements of state-local relations. The\nvariation among local governments, including fiscal condition, local\neconomy and demand for services, should be considered, and opportunities\nfor intergovernmental cooperation and efficiencies should be identified.\n 2. A legislative commission on state-local relations is hereby\nestablished to examine, evaluate and make recommendations concerning the\nstate's system of aid to localities, the division of state and local\nresponsibilities, state mandates on local governments and limits on the\nability of local governments to raise revenue, incur debt and manage\nresources. The commission shall make such recommendations as it may deem\nnecessary to provide an equitable system of state aid to local\ngovernments, to encourage the most effective use of state and local\nresources, to preserve the fiscal integrity of both state and local\ngovernments and otherwise to strengthen the partnership between the\nstate and its local governments.\n 3. The commission shall consist of ten members to be appointed as\nfollows: three members of the senate shall be appointed by the temporary\npresident of the senate; three members of the assembly shall be\nappointed by the speaker of the assembly; two members of the senate\nshall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and two members\nof the assembly shall be appointed by the minority leader of the\nassembly. From among the members so appointed, a chairman and a vice\nchairman shall be designated by the joint action of the temporary\npresident of the senate and the speaker of the assembly. Any vacancy\nthat occurs in the commission or in the chairmanship or vice\nchairmanship shall be filled in the same manner in which the original\nappointment or designation was made. No member, officer, or employee of\nthe commission shall be disqualified from holding any other public\noffice or employment, nor shall he forfeit any such office or employment\nby reason of his appointment hereunder, notwithstanding the provisions\nof any general, special, or local law, ordinance, or city charter.\n 4. The commission may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel as\nit may deem necessary for the performance of the commission's functions\nand fix their compensation within the amounts made available therefor.\n 5. Employees of the commission shall be considered to be employees of\nthe legislature for all purposes.\n 6. The commission in addition to the above mentioned powers shall have\nall the powers and privileges of a legislative committee pursuant to\nthis chapter.\n 7. For the accomplishment of its purpose, the commission shall be\nauthorized and empowered to undertake any study, inquiry, survey, or\nanalysis it may deem relevant through its own personnel in cooperation\nwith or by agreement with any other public or private agency.\n 8. The commission may require and shall receive from any department,\nboard, bureau, commission, authority, office, or other instrumentality\nof the state, and from any county, city, town or village of this state,\nsuch facilities, assistance, and data, as it deems necessary or\ndesirable for proper execution of its powers and duties.\n 9. The commission may hold public or private hearings and shall have\nfull powers to subpoena witnesses and all records or data it shall deem\nnecessary or desirable pursuant to this chapter.\n 10. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for\ntheir services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses\nincurred in the performance of their duties.\n * NB Repealed June 30, 2026\n