Govt. Kathy Hochul is taking some extra time to decide on the final bill that comes across her desk at the end of the year.
A controversial bill that would have created new judicial districts in Onondaga, Monroe and Erie counties was delivered to Hochul’s desk on New Year’s Day.
Rather than sign or veto the bill, Hochul is using a procedure allowed by the state constitution to buy himself an extra month to consider the legislation.
The governor may adjourn any bill received on the last day of the year. Hochul will have an additional 30 days from the first day of the legislative year until February 6 to intervene legislatively.
Democrats, who control the state Assembly and Senate, passed the judicial redistricting bill on the last day of their legislative session in June.
In Upstate New York, judicial districts cover several counties and mix Democratic-dominated cities with many heavily Republican suburban and rural districts.
The proposed change would make Onondaga, Monroe and Erie counties each a separate district that would include Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo — cities with Democratic-leaning electoral advantages.
Democratic supporters of the bill said the bill would help increase racial diversity in the judiciary and allow urban areas to have judges who better reflect the demographics of their communities.
Republicans said the bill constituted political gerrymandering aimed at redistricting in favor of Democrats.
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