Bill > A06227

This bill proposes to remove the requirement of United States citizenship as a qualification for holding civil office in New York State, while maintaining other existing eligibility criteria. Specifically, the bill modifies the public officers law to eliminate the citizenship requirement for civil office holders, instead focusing on other qualifications such as age (being at least 18 years old), residency in the state, and residency within the political subdivision for local offices. The bill includes an important caveat that if other laws impose additional criteria for holding a specific civil office, those criteria will still apply. This change could potentially allow non-citizen residents of New York to serve in certain public offices, expanding opportunities for civic participation. The bill uses gender-neutral language (changing "he or she" to "they") and preserves existing provisions about age requirements for specific youth boards and commissions in New York City. The modification would take effect immediately upon passage.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6227