New York Assembly Bill A08180

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/5/25
• Refer: 5/5/25
• Report Pass: 6/16/25
• Refer: 6/16/25

Caption

Permits Yates county assistant district attorneys and assistant public defenders to reside in Chemung county.

Summary

This bill amends the Public Officers Law to expand the residency options for certain Yates County legal officers. Specifically, it allows assistant district attorneys in Yates County, other than the first assistant district attorney, to live not only in Yates County or an adjoining New York county, but also in Chemung County. It makes the same change for assistant public defenders in Yates County, permitting them to reside in Chemung County as well. The bill is narrow in scope and applies only to these two categories of county employees in Yates County. It does not change their qualifications to hold office beyond the residency exception, and it takes effect immediately upon enactment. The measure appears to be a local flexibility bill intended to broaden the available hiring pool for county legal positions while preserving the existing residency rule for other offices.

Impact

The bill would amend section 3 of the Public Officers Law, subdivisions 38 and 38-a, by adding Chemung County to the list of permitted residences for Yates County assistant district attorneys and assistant public defenders. In practical terms, it creates a local exception to the general residency requirement for public officers, affecting only these Yates County positions and not altering statewide residency rules for other offices or counties.

Sentiment

The available legislative history suggests a generally favorable and noncontroversial reception. The bill advanced through committee with unanimous favorable votes in the Assembly Rules Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, indicating broad support and no recorded opposition in the available materials. No committee transcripts were provided, but the voting history points to consensus around the measure.

Contention

No significant opposition is reflected in the provided record. The only notable policy issue is the residency exception itself: the bill expands where Yates County assistant district attorneys and assistant public defenders may live, which could raise questions in general about local residency expectations for public officers. However, the available votes show no recorded contention, and the change is limited and targeted to Chemung County as an additional permitted residence.