New York Assembly Bill A10704

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/20/26
• Refer: 3/20/26

Caption

Allows Steven Kobie Jackson to be eligible to take the civil service exam for the position of police officer for the town of Woodstock police department

Summary

A10704 is a narrow, person-specific civil service bill for the Town of Woodstock Police Department in Ulster County. It authorizes Steven Kobie Jackson, who has been continuously employed as a part-time police officer, to sit for the competitive civil service examination for the full-time police officer title and, depending on his score, to be placed on the eligible list for appointment to that position. The bill overrides section 58 of the Civil Service Law, or any other conflicting law, solely for this individual. It does not create a general change to police hiring rules; instead, it creates a special eligibility pathway for Jackson while still requiring him to meet the merit and fitness standards applicable to full-time police officers. The act would take effect immediately if enacted.

Impact

The bill would create a one-time exception to New York Civil Service Law section 58 for a named employee, allowing him to compete for a full-time police officer position despite any otherwise applicable eligibility restrictions. Its practical effect would be to expand the pool of candidates for the Woodstock police department’s full-time officer vacancy by including a currently employed part-time officer who may not otherwise qualify to test. The measure does not amend the general civil service framework statewide, but it does alter the application of civil service rules for this specific town and individual.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or recorded vote information is available, so there is no documented debate or formal sentiment in the provided materials. Based on the bill text, the measure appears administrative and supportive of a local employee’s advancement rather than controversial in policy terms. The absence of opposition or recorded votes suggests the bill may have been treated as a routine local personnel measure.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the bill’s use of a special, person-specific exemption from otherwise uniform civil service eligibility rules. Supporters would likely view it as a fair accommodation for a continuously employed part-time officer seeking full-time status, while critics of such bills generally argue that named exceptions can undercut merit-based hiring and equal treatment in public employment. No specific objections are documented in the available context, and no committee discussion was provided.