{"data":{"id":"us-ny/n.y.-const.-art.-ix-3","jurisdiction":"us-ny","citation":"N.Y. Const. art. IX, § 3","heading":"Existing laws to remain applicable; construction; definitions","body":"Existing laws to remain applicable; construction; definitions.\n  § 3. (a) Except as expressly provided, nothing in this article shall\nrestrict or impair any power of the legislature in relation to:\n  (1) The maintenance, support or administration of the public school\nsystem, as required or provided by article XI of this constitution, or\nany retirement system pertaining to such public school system,\n  (2) The courts as required or provided by article VI of this\nconstitution, and\n  (3) Matters other than the property, affairs or government of a local\ngovernment.\n  (b) The provisions of this article shall not affect any existing valid\nprovisions of acts of the legislature or of local legislation and such\nprovisions shall continue in force until repealed, amended, modified or\nsuperseded in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.\n  (c) Rights, powers, privileges and immunities granted to local\ngovernments by this article shall be liberally construed.\n  (d) Whenever used in this article the following terms shall mean or\ninclude:\n  (1) \"General law. \" A law which in terms and in effect applies alike\nto all counties, all counties other than those wholly included within a\ncity, all cities, all towns or all villages.\n  (2) \"Local government. \" A county, city, town or village.\n  (3) \"People. \" Persons entitled to vote as provided in section one of\narticle two of this constitution.\n  (4) \"Special law. \" A law which in terms and in effect applies to one\nor more, but not all, counties, counties other than those wholly\nincluded within a city, cities, towns or villages.","path":["Constitution","Article IX. Local Governments"],"source_url":"https://legislation.nysenate.gov/api/3/laws/CNS/A9S3","current_through":"2026-09-11","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:32:44Z","sha256":"819c17c8521c8a58f494ed0dc8b8fe9a39be71bd044e4a823b3992a7a70edbbc","source_id":"us-ny","stale":false,"prev":"us-ny/n.y.-const.-art.-ix-2","next":"us-ny/n.y.-const.-art.-x-1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}