The New York Constitution
WE, THE PEOPLE of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure its blessings, DO ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION.
Section 1
Last Amended
2001
Rights, privileges and franchise secured; power of legislature to dispense with primary elections in certain cases
Section 2
Trial by jury; how waived
Section 3
Last Amended
2001
Freedom of worship; religious liberty
Section 4
Habeas corpus
Section 5
Bail; fines; punishments; detention of witnesses
Section 6
Last Amended
2001
Grand jury; waiver of indictment; right to counsel; informing accused; double jeopardy; self-incrimination; waiver of immunity by public officers; due process of law
Section 7
Repealed
1964
Just compensation for taking private property; private roads; drainage of agricultural lands
Section 8
Last Amended
2001
Freedom of speech and press; criminal prosecutions for libel
Section 9
Last Amended
2001
Right to assemble and petition; judicial divorces; gambling, except pari-mutuel betting, prohibited
Section 10
Repealed
1962
Repealed
Section 11
Last Amended
2001
Equal protection of laws; discrimination in civil rights prohibited
Section 12
Security against unreasonable searches, seizures and interceptions
Section 13
Repealed
1962
Repealed
Section 14
Common law and acts of the state legislatures
Section 15
Repealed
1962
Repealed
Section 16
Damages for injuries causing death
Section 17
Last Amended
2001
Labor not a commodity; hours and wages in public work; right to organize and bargain collectively
Section 18
Last Amended
2001
Workers’ compensation
Section 19
Environmental rights
Section 1
Last Amended
1995
Qualifications of voters
Section 2
Last Amended
1963
Absentee voting
Section 3
Last Amended
2001
Persons excluded from the right of suffrage
Section 4
Last Amended
2001
Certain occupations and conditions not to affect residence
Section 5
Last Amended
1995
Registration and election laws to be passed
Section 6
Last Amended
2001
Permanent registration
Section 7
Manner of voting; identification of voters
Section 8
Last Amended
1995
Bi-partisan registration and election boards
Section 9
Last Amended
2001
Presidential elections; special voting procedures authorized
Section 1
Legislative power
Section 2
Last Amended
2001
Number and terms of senators and assemblymen
Section 3
Last Amended
1962
Senate districts
Section 4
Last Amended
2014
Readjustments and reapportionments; when federal census to control
Section 5
Last Amended
2014
Apportionment of assemblymen; creation of assembly districts
Section 5-a
Definition of inhabitants
Section 5-b
Independent redistricting commission
Section 6
Last Amended
2001
Compensation, allowances and traveling expenses of members
Section 7
Last Amended
1943
Qualifications of members; prohibitions on certain civil appointments; acceptance to vacate seat
Section 8
Time of elections of members
Section 9
Last Amended
1963
Powers of each house
Section 10
Journals; open sessions; adjournments
Section 11
Members not to be questioned for speeches
Section 12
Bills may originate in either house; may be amended by the other
Section 13
Enacting clause of bills; no law to be enacted except by bill
Section 14
Last Amended
2014
Manner of passing bills; message of necessity for immediate vote
Section 15
Private or local bills to embrace only one subject, expressed in title
Section 16
Existing law not to be made applicable by reference
Section 17
Last Amended
1964
Cases in which private or local bills shall not be passed
Section 18
Extraordinary sessions of the legislature; power to convene on legislative initiative
Section 19
Last Amended
1964
Private claims not to be audited by legislature; claims barred by lapse of time
Section 20
Two-thirds bills
Section 21
Certain sections not to apply to bills recommended by certain commissioners or public agencies
Section 22
Last Amended
1959
Tax laws to state tax and object distinctly; definition of income for income tax purposes by reference to federal laws authorized
Section 23
When yeas and nays necessary; three-fifths to constitute quorum
Section 24
Last Amended
2009
Prison labor; contract system abolished
Section 25
Emergency governmental operations; legislature to provide for]
Section 1
Last Amended
2001
Executive power; election and terms of governor and lieutenant governor
Section 2
Last Amended
2001
Qualifications of governor and lieutenant-governor
Section 3
Last Amended
2001
Powers and duties of governor; compensation
Section 4
Last Amended
2001
Reprieves, commutations and pardons; powers and duties of governor relating to grants of
Section 5
Last Amended
2001
When lieutenant-governor to act as governor
Section 6
Last Amended
2001
Duties and compensation of lieutenant-governor; succession to the governorship
Section 7
Last Amended
2001
Action by governor on legislative bills; reconsideration after veto
Section 8
Departmental rules and regulations; filing; publication
Section 1
Last Amended
2001
Comptroller and attorney-general; payment of state moneys without audit void
Section 2
Last Amended
1961
Civil departments in the state government
Section 3
Last Amended
1961
Assignment of functions
Section 4
Last Amended
1961
Department heads
Section 5
Repealed
1962
Repealed
Section 6
Last Amended
2013
Civil service appointments and promotions; veterans’ credits
Section 7
Last Amended
2017
Membership in retirement systems; benefits not to be diminished nor impaired
Section 1
Unified court system; organization; process
Section 2
Last Amended
2001
Court of appeals; organization; designations; vacancies, how filled; commission on judicial nomination
Section 3
Last Amended
2001
Court of appeals; jurisdiction
Section 4
Last Amended
2001
Judicial departments; appellate divisions, how constituted; governor to designate justices; temporary assignments; jurisdiction
Section 5
Appeals from judgment or order; new trial
Section 6
Judicial districts; how constituted; supreme court
Section 7
Last Amended
1977
Supreme court; jurisdiction
Section 8
Last Amended
1977
Appellate terms; composition; jurisdiction
Section 9
Court of claims; jurisdiction
Section 10
County courts; judges
Section 11
Last Amended
1983
County court; jurisdiction
Section 12
Surrogate’s courts; judges; jurisdiction
Section 13
Last Amended
1973
Family court; organization; jurisdiction
Section 14
Discharge of duties of more than one judicial office by same judicial officer
Section 15
Last Amended
2021
New York city; city-wide courts; jurisdiction
Section 16
Last Amended
1983
District courts; jurisdiction; judges
Section 17
Town, village and city courts; jurisdiction; judges
Section 18
Trial by jury; trial without jury; claims against state
Section 19
Transfer of actions and proceedings
Section 20
Last Amended
2001
Judges and justices; qualifications; eligibility for other office or service; restrictions
Section 21
Vacancies; how filled
Section 22
Commission on judicial conduct; composition; organization and procedure; review by court of appeals; discipline of judges or justices
Section 23
Last Amended
2001
Removal of judges
Section 24
Last Amended
2001
Court for trial of impeachments; judgment
Section 25
Last Amended
2001
Judges and justices; compensation; retirement
Section 26
Last Amended
2001
Temporary assignments of judges and justices
Section 27
Last Amended
2001
Supreme court; extraordinary terms
Section 28
Last Amended
2001
Administrative supervision of court system
Section 29
Last Amended
1977
Expenses of courts
Section 30
Last Amended
1977
Legislative power over jurisdiction and proceedings; delegation of power to regulate practice and procedure
Section 31
Inapplicability of article to certain courts
Section 32
Custodians of children to be of same religious persuasion
Section 33
Existing laws; duty of legislature to implement article
Section 34
Pending appeals, actions and proceedings; preservation of existing terms of office of judges and justices
Section 35
Last Amended
2001
Certain courts abolished; transfer of judges, court personnel, and actions and proceedings to other courts
Section 36
Pending civil and criminal cases
Section 36-a
Effective date of certain amendments to articles VI and VII
Section 36-c
Effective date of certain amendments to article VI, section 22
Section 37
Effective date of article
Section 1
Last Amended
2001
Estimates by departments, the legislature and the judiciary of needed appropriations; hearings
Section 2
Last Amended
2001
Executive budget
Section 3
Last Amended
2001
Budget bills; appearances before legislature
Section 4
Last Amended
2001
Action on budget bills by legislature; effect thereof
Section 5
Restrictions on consideration of other appropriations
Section 6
Restrictions on content of appropriation bills
Section 7
Appropriation bills
Section 8
Last Amended
2001
Gift or loan of state credit or money prohibited; exceptions for enumerated purposes
Section 9
Last Amended
1995
Short term state debts in anticipation of taxes, revenues and proceeds of sale of authorized bonds
Section 10
State debts on account of invasion, insurrection, war and forest fires
Section 11
Last Amended
1993
State debts generally; manner of contracting; referendum
Section 12
Last Amended
1993
State debts generally; how paid; contribution to sinking funds; restrictions on use of bond proceeds
Section 13
Last Amended
1993
Refund of state debts
Section 14
Last Amended
1941
State debt for elimination of railroad crossings at grade; expenses; how borne; construction and reconstruction of state highways and parkways
Section 15
Last Amended
2001
Sinking funds; how kept and invested; income therefrom and application thereof
Section 16
Last Amended
1993
Payment of state debts; when comptroller to pay without appropriation
Section 17
Authorizing the legislature to establish a fund or funds for tax revenue stabilization reserves; regulating payments thereto and withdrawals therefrom
Section 18
Last Amended
1949
Bonus on account of service of certain veterans in World War II
Section 19
State debt for expansion of state university
Section 1
Last Amended
1965
Gift or loan of property or credit of local subdivisions prohibited; exceptions for enumerated purposes
Section 2
Last Amended
1993
Restrictions on indebtedness of local subdivisions; contracting and payment of local indebtedness; exceptions
Section 2-a
Last Amended
1955
Local indebtedness for water supply, sewage and drainage facilities and purposes; allocations and exclusions of indebtedness
Section 3
Restrictions on creation and indebtedness of certain corporations
Section 4
Last Amended
2023
Limitations on local indebtedness
Section 5
Last Amended
2023
Ascertainment of debt-incurring power of counties, cities, towns and villages; certain indebtedness to be excluded
Section 6
Debt-incurring power of Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse; certain additional indebtedness to be excluded
Section 7
Last Amended
1953
Debt-incurring power of New York city; certain additional indebtedness to be excluded
Section 7-a
Debt-incurring power of New York city; certain indebtedness for railroads and transit purposes to be excluded
Section 8
Indebtedness not to be invalidated by operation of this article
Section 9
When debt-incurring power of certain counties shall cease
Section 10
Last Amended
1985
Limitations on amount to be raised by real estate taxes for local purposes; exceptions
Section 10-a
Last Amended
1953
Application and use of revenues: certain public improvements
Section 11
Last Amended
1951
Taxes for certain capital expenditures to be excluded from tax limitation
Section 12
Powers of local governments to be restricted; further limitations on contracting local indebtedness authorized
Section 1
Corporations; formation of
Section 2
Dues of corporations
Section 3
Last Amended
1983
Savings bank charters; savings and loan association charters; special charters not to be granted
Section 4
Corporations; definition; right to sue and be sued
Section 5
Public corporations; restrictions on creation and powers; accounts; obligations of
Section 6
Liability of state for payment of bonds of public corporation to construct state thruways; use of state canal lands and properties
Section 7
Liability of state for obligations of the port of New York authority for railroad commuter cars; limitations
Section 8
Last Amended
1991
Liability of state on bonds of a public corporation to finance new industrial or manufacturing plants in depressed areas
Section 1
Oath of office; no other test for public office
Section 2
Last Amended
1962
Duration of term of office
Section 3
Last Amended
2001
Vacancies in office; how filled; boards of education
Section 4
Last Amended
1962
Political year and legislative term
Section 5
Last Amended
1962
Removal from office for misconduct
Section 6
Last Amended
1962
When office to be deemed vacant; legislature may declare
Section 7
Last Amended
2001
Compensation of officers
Section 8
Election and term of city and certain county officers
Section 13
Last Amended
2001
Law enforcement and other officers
Section 14
Employees of, and contractors for, the state and local governments; wages, hours and other provisions to be regulated by legislature
Section 1
Last Amended
2017
Forest preserve to be forever kept wild; authorized uses and exceptions
Section 2
Last Amended
1953
Reservoirs
Section 3
Last Amended
1973
Forest and wild life conservation; use or disposition of certain lands authorized
Section 4
Protection of natural resources; development of agricultural lands
Section 5
Last Amended
1969
Violations of article; how restrained
Section 6
Public utility lines and bicycle paths in forest preserves
Section 1
Last Amended
1991
Disposition of canals and canal properties prohibited
Section 2
Last Amended
1991
Prohibition inapplicable to lands and properties no longer useful; disposition authorized
Section 3
Last Amended
1991
Contracts for work and materials; special revenue fund
Section 4
Lease or transfer to federal government of barge canal system authorized
Section 1
Power of taxation; exemptions from taxation
Section 2
Assessments for taxation purposes
Section 3
Situs of intangible personal property; taxation of
Section 4
Certain corporations not to be discriminated against
Section 5
Last Amended
2001
Compensation of public officers and employees subject to taxation
Section 6
Last Amended
2001
Public improvements or services; contract of indebtedness; creation of public corporations
Section 1
Public relief and care
Section 2
State board of social welfare; powers and duties
Section 3
Public health
Section 4
Care and treatment of persons suffering from mental disorder or defect; visitation of institutions for
Section 5
Last Amended
1973
Institutions for detention of criminals; probation; parole; state commission of correction
Section 6
Visitation and inspection
Section 7
Loans for hospital construction
Section 1
Last Amended
1965
Housing and nursing home accommodations for persons of low income; slum clearance
Section 2
Last Amended
1965
Idem; powers of legislature in aid of
Section 3
Last Amended
1957
Article VII to apply to state debts under this article, with certain exceptions; amortization of state debts; capital and periodic subsidies
Section 4
Last Amended
1949
Powers of cities, towns and villages to contract indebtedness in aid of low rent housing and slum clearance projects; restrictions thereon
Section 5
Last Amended
1957
Liability for certain loans made by the state to certain public corporations
Section 6
Loans and subsidies; restrictions on and preference in occupancy of projects
Section 7
Liability arising from guarantees to be deemed indebtedness; method of computing]
Section 8
Excess condemnation
Section 9
Acquisition of property for purposes of article
Section 10
Power of legislature; construction of article
Section 1
Amendments to constitution; how proposed, voted upon and ratified; failure of attorney-general to render opinion not to affect validity
Section 2
Last Amended
2001
Future constitutional conventions; how called; election of delegates; compensation; quorum; submission of amendments; officers; employees; rules; vacancies
Section 3