Requires that regents and elective officers of the university of the state of New York prove that their primary residence is located within New York state before entering on their duties

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Ashby

Requires regents and USNY elective officers to prove their primary residence is in New York State before taking office

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Summary of Bill S 5004

Overview

Bill number: S 5004

Title: Requires that regents and elective officers of the University of the State of New York prove that their primary residence is located within New York State before entering on their duties

Sponsor: Jake Ashby (primary)

Introduced: February 18, 2025

Status: REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION (introduced and assigned to committee for review)

Version/Actions: Legislative Actions show the same action twice on 2025-02-18 (referred to Higher Education)

What the bill would do

The bill would impose a residency requirement on individuals who serve as regents and on “elective officers” of the University of the State of New York (USNY).

Specifically, it would require these officials to prove that their primary residence is within New York State before they begin their duties.

The bill establishes a condition precedent to taking office, meaning the individual would need to demonstrate NY residency prior to entering on duties.

Key provisions (as stated in the bill summary)

Applies to:

Regents of the University of the State of New York
Elective officers of the USNY

Requirement:

Must prove that their primary residence is located within New York State prior to assuming duties

Proof:

The bill requires representation of NY residency, but the exact mechanism or types of acceptable proof are not specified in the available summary. Implementing rules would presumably define acceptable documentation and process.

Timing:

The residency proof must be provided before entering on duties.

Who would be affected

Current and future regents and elective officers of the USNY would be subject to the residency verification requirement.

Potential impact on candidates who reside outside New York State or who maintain significant non-NY ties, since they would need to establish NY residency before serving.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Status indicates the bill has been referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

The short summary shows the intro date and the committee referral date (both listed as February 18, 2025), suggesting early-stage action in the legislative process.

If advanced, the bill would move through committee hearings, potential amendments, and floor votes in the applicable legislative chamber.

Potential impacts and considerations

Governance and eligibility: Creates a residency prerequisite that could affect the pool of eligible candidates for regent and elective officer positions.

Administration: May require new procedures to verify residency and define “primary residence.”

Legal/constitutional considerations: Depending on existing NY law, there could be questions about how residency is defined and enforced for state officials.

Practical implications: Could influence recruitment, succession planning, and potential vacancies if residency issues arise.

Next steps for stakeholders

Monitor committee activity in Higher Education for hearings or amendments.

Review any definitions of “primary residence” and acceptable proof once the implementing rules are issued.

Consider potential fiscal or administrative costs related to verification processes.