N.Y. Municipal Home Rule § 2: Definitions

§ 2. Definitions. As used in this chapter the following terms shall

mean or include:

1. "Charter." A state statute or a local law which establishes or

continues a specific county, city or village as a municipal corporation

or body politic and includes the fundamental provisions defining,

extending or limiting its corporate powers or affecting the framework of

its government.

2. "Charter amendment." A new charter or any change in an existing

charter presented as such under authority of this chapter or any state

statute or charter. A charter amendment may be of any extent and may

deal with any number of subjects.

3. "Clerk." The clerk of the board of supervisors of a county, the

clerk of a city, town or village or, if there be no officer so

designated, an officer exercising corresponding duties.

4. "Elective chief executive officer." The chief executive officer of

a county elected on a county-wide basis or if there be none the chairman

of the board of supervisors, the mayor of a city or village or the

supervisor of a town, where such officer is vested with power to approve

or veto local laws or ordinances.

5. "General law." A state statute which in terms and in effect applies

alike to all counties, all counties other than those wholly included

within a city, all cities, all towns or all villages.

6. "Law." A state statute, charter or local law.

7. "Legislative body." The board of supervisors, board of aldermen,

common council, council, commission, town board, board of trustees or

other elective governing board or body now or hereafter vested by state

statute, charter or other law with jurisdiction to initiate and adopt

local laws or ordinances, whether or not such local laws or ordinances

require the approval of the elective chief executive officer or other

official or body to become effective.

8. "Local government." A county, city, town or village.

9. "Local law." A law (a) adopted pursuant to this chapter or to other

authorization of a state statute or charter by the legislative body of a

local government, or (b) proposed by a charter commission or by

petition, and ratified by popular vote, as provided in article four of

this chapter or as provided in a state statute, charter or local law;

but shall not mean or include an ordinance, resolution or other similar

act of the legislative body or of any other board or body.

10. "New charter." A charter which supersedes or repeals an existing

charter in its entirety or in the manner provided in subdivision four or

subdivision five of section thirty-six of this chapter.

11. "Public corporation." A municipal corporation, a district

corporation or a public benefit corporation as defined in section three

of the general corporation law.

12. "Special law." A state statute which in terms and in effect

applies to one or more, but not all, counties, counties other than those

wholly included within a city, cities, towns or villages.