Nassau County Legislature

Last updated

Nassau County Legislature
Legislature seal.jpg
Type
Type
History
Established1996
Preceded byNassau County Board of Supervisors
Leadership
Presiding officer
Howard J. Kopel, Republican
since January 2024
Deputy presiding officer
Thomas McKevitt, Republican
since January 2024
Alternate Deputy presiding officer
John R. Ferretti Jr., Republican
since January 2024
Minority caucus leader
Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Democrat
since November 2023
Structure
Seats19
Nassau County Legislature.svg
Political groups
  • Majority
   Republican (12)
  • Minority
   Democratic (7)
CommitteesSee Standing committees
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
November 7, 2023
Next election
November 4, 2025
Meeting place
Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, Nassau County, New York
Website
The Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Garden City, home to the Nassau County Legislature. Roosevelt Courthouse NY et. al. 15.jpg
The Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Garden City, home to the Nassau County Legislature.

The Nassau County Legislature is the lawmaking body of Nassau County, New York. The county is divided into 19 legislative districts, each represented by an elected legislator. It was formed in 1996 to succeed the Nassau County Board of Supervisors, which had been ruled unconstitutional.

Contents

The legislature serves as a check against the county executive. The legislature monitors the performance of county agencies and makes land use decisions as well as legislating on a variety of other issues. The county legislature also has sole responsibility for approving the county budget. All members can serve for as long as they want (there is no term limit), unless expelled. Legislators are elected every two years.

The presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature is called the presiding officer. The current presiding officer as of January 2024 is Howard J. Kopel, a Republican. [1] The presiding officer sets the agenda and presides at meetings of the legislature. The Republican Party holds a 12-to-7 majority over the Democratic Party.

Composition

DistrictMemberPartyResidenceElected
1 Scott DavisDemocratic Rockville Centre 2024
2 Siela A. Bynoe Democratic Westbury 2014
3 Carrié SolagesDemocratic Lawrence 2014
4 Patrick MullaneyRepublican Long Beach 2024
5 Seth KoslowDemocratic Merrick 2024
6 Debra MuléDemocratic Freeport 2017
7 Howard J. KopelRepublican Lawrence 2009
8 John J. GiuffreRepublican Stewart Manor 2021
9 Scott StraussRepublican Mineola 2024
10 Mazi Melesa Pilip Republican [a] Great Neck 2021
11 Delia DeRiggi-WhittonDemocratic Glen Cove 2012
12 Michael GiangregorioRepublican Merrick 2015
13 Thomas McKevittRepublican East Meadow 2017
14 William Gaylor IIIRepublican Lynbrook 2015
15 John R. Ferretti Jr.Republican Levittown 2017
16 Arnold W. DruckerDemocratic Plainview 2016
17 Rose Marie WalkerRepublican Hicksville 2009
18 Samantha GoetzRepublican Locust Valley 2017
19 James D. KennedyRepublican Massapequa 2015
Council leaders
PositionNamePartyDistrict
Presiding officerHoward J. Kopel Republican 7
Alternate presiding officerThomas McKevitt Republican 13
Alternate deputy presiding officerJohn R. Ferretti Jr. Republican 15
Minority caucus leaderDelia DeRiggi-Whitton Democratic 11

History

When the western portions of Queens County joined New York City in 1898, the remaining three towns were formed into Nassau County. The Nassau County Board of Supervisors was then established. It was a six-member board, and each member was a government official from the three towns in the county (Oyster Bay, Hempstead, and North Hempstead) and later the two cities in the county (Glen Cove and Long Beach). The Town of Hempstead had two voting members. The board used a weighted vote system based on the Banzhaf power index, [3] meaning the districts smaller in population had near-no representation on the board.

In 1993, federal district court Judge Arthur D. Spatt ruled the board of supervisors unconstitutional, citing its clear violation of the Equal Protection Clause for its failure to adhere to the one man, one vote policy, and failure to represent the minority population. [4] Over a year later, when board members had failed to provide a constitutional successor to the board, the judge said that if they kept ending up in a deadlock and could not choose a new plan, he would make one himself. The board finally chose a plan, creating the Nassau County Legislature, changing the legislative branch of the county for the first time since its establishment, and the first election for the legislature took place in November 1995. The historic first session began on January 1, 1996, with a Republican majority.

The plan adopted by the board of supervisors and written into the Nassau County Charter called for a nineteen-district legislature, with at least two black-majority districts. This new plan has had the legislature fluctuating from a Democratic majority to a Republican majority, and vice versa, contrary to the regularly Republican board of Supervisors. [5]

Salary

The legislature's salary was made $39,500 in the charter; however that document allows the legislature to raise or lower that salary by law. [6] In December 2015, legislators voted without much debate to raise their salary to $75,000 amidst a county financial crisis; this went into effect the next session in 2017. [7]

Standing committees and the floor

All issues introduced to the legislature is sent to one of the legislature's committees for review and consideration. Then, it is sent to the Rules Committee for further review and consideration. Once through the Rules Committee, it is sent to the floor for all members to discuss, debate, and vote on. If passed, it is sent to the desk of the county executive. If it is signed by the county executive, it is now a local law and is codified in either the Nassau County Administrative Code or the Miscellaneous Laws of Nassau County. All members of the public can attend any public meeting of the legislature, and can speak at floor meetings at a designated time.

Committees

Law

All legislation intended to become local law is introduced as an issue on the floor. [8] If passed, it becomes local law and is codified either in the Nassau County Administrative Code or the Miscellaneous Laws of Nassau County. Ordinances and Resolutions are also passed the same way, but are not codified.

Notes

  1. Pilip had been a registered Democrat since 2012, but was elected to the Nassau County Legislature in 2021 and 2023 as a Republican. [2]

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References

  1. "The Nassau County Legislature". www.nassaucountyny.gov. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  2. "Power on the Nassau County Board of Supervisors". www.milefoot.com. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  3. "Nassau Board Is Overturned By U.S. Judge" . Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  4. "History | Nassau County, NY - Official Website". www.nassaucountyny.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  5. "The Nassau County Charter". January 2, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  6. "Legislators vote to raise their pay from $39,500 to $75G". Newsday. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  7. "What We Do | Nassau County, NY - Official Website". www.nassaucountyny.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2020.