Onondaga County

Democratic Majority Bring “Good Governance Slate” of Ballot Referendum Laws for November Election

Minority Present Houses of Worship Protection Act to Protect Faith Community

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Onondaga County Legislature discussed five local laws at its monthly Ways & Means Committee this week. Three of the laws were presented by the Democratic Majority as a “Good Governance Slate” of local laws to be ballot referendums voted on in November’s elections.

The Good Governance Slate includes:

• An amendment of the County Charter regarding who appoints vacancies in the legislature (Sponsored by Leg. Eriksen, District 6). The local law would shift appointment of a vacated county legislature seat to a vote by the County Legislature, similar to the Syracuse Common Council and other county legislature according to the New York State Association of Counties.

• A local law amending the County Charter to impose term limits on the Office of County Executive (Sponsored by Leader Hernandez, District 17). The local law would set a 12-year term limit on the office of County Executive, which currently has no limit. The legislature will seek to also set a term limit on the Comptroller Office later this year.

• A local law amending the Administrative Code to Create an Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission (Sponsored by Leg. Ryan, District 8). This would create a citizen-led process for redrawing legislative district lines. Citizen-led redistricting, or Independent Redistricting Commissions (IRCs), is the voter process of moving power to draw electoral boundaries from the partisanship of politics and giving it to citizens. States like Washington, California, and Arizona completely prohibit politicians from holding seats on citizen-led redistricting commissions.

“The local laws at Ways & Means generated robust conversation. The impact these laws can have on safety, and representation is critical and these conversations need to happen in both the legislature and among our residents,” said Chairwoman Nicole Watts.

Local Laws Discussing Public Safety

The 3-Feet Rule
Ways & Means Chair, Maurice Brown, also sponsored a local law “To Ensure the Safety of Vulnerable Road Users in Onondaga County” to ensure that the defined distance for passing a vulnerable person is 3ft on the road in Onondaga County. New York State does not have a statewide “3-foot passing law” but allows legislation to be defined at the local level to require motorists outside of NYC to maintain a safe distance. The “3 feet rule” has seen legislative progress in Albany County, Monroe County, Suffolk County, Ulster County, and Cortland County. The law also defines vulnerable persons as pedestrians, bicyclists, individuals riding horses, emergency responders, and construction or roadside workers.

Exceptions

• The 3-foot requirement often does not apply on roadways with clearly marked bicycle lanes.

• If a driver does not have sufficient space to safely provide the 3-foot buffer, they must slow down, yield, and only pass when it can be done safely and reasonably.

Alex Lawson, a member of the Moving People Transportation Coalition, spoke on the legislation. “This local law is a good, easy way to improve road safety, particularly in areas in the county that don’t have dedicated bike infrastructure or sidewalks,” said Lawson.

Places of Worship Protection Act
Leg. Tim Burtis (District 3) presented a local law prohibiting demonstrating within ten (10) feet of a person entering or leaving a place of religious worship and not within thirty-five (35) feet of an entrance.

In addition to demonstrating, the local law prohibits pickets, protests, distribution of literature, displaying signs, and engaging in oral advocacy or other forms of expressive or symbolic conduct. Those in violation of the law will be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $250 or imprisonment of a maximum of one year.

“I think we should lead in this area,” said Leg. Burtis. “Just because nothing is happening here now, I believe we should lead for the community, so they know of these parameters. I think that that is prudent and a timely thing.”