Legislative Gazette
Due to the recent arrests and indictments of a handful of New York state elected officials, Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville, has proposed a bill (A.6161) that would amend the state Constitution to give voters the ability to remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has expired.
Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, received the July 2011 John Lilburne Award for sponsoring legislation that would create a citizen initiative and referendum process in New York. The bill (S.709/A.4978) would give citizens the ability to propose and then vote on statutes and amendments to the state Constitution. As it stands, New Yorkers have no such power to enact or appeal laws, or amend the Constitution.