New York Constitution

Every section of the New York Constitution, in order — 201 sections. Source: NY Senate Open Legislation, current through November 4, 2026.

• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 1 — Rights, privileges and franchise secured; uncontested primary elections
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 2 — Trial by jury; how waived
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 3 — Freedom of worship; religious liberty
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 4 — Habeas corpus
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 5 — Bail; fines; punishments; detention of witnesses
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 6 — Grand jury; waiver of indictment; right to counsel; informing accused; double jeopardy; self-incrimination; waiver of immunity by public officers; due process of law
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 7 — Just compensation for taking private property; private roads; drainage of agricultural lands
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 8 — Freedom of speech and press; criminal prosecutions for libel
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 9 — Right to assemble and petition; divorce; lotteries; pool-selling and gambling; laws to prevent; certain state operated lotteries authorized; pari-mutuel betting on horse races, and bingo or lotto permitted
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 11 — Equal protection of laws; discrimination in civil rights prohibited
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 12 — Security against unreasonable searches, seizures and interceptions
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 14 — Common law and acts of the state legislatures
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 16 — Damages for injuries causing death
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 17 — Labor not a commodity; hours and wages in public work; right to organize and bargain collectively
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 18 — Workers' compensation
• N.Y. Const. art. I, § 19 — Environmental rights
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 1 — Qualifications of voters
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 2 — Absentee voting
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 3 — Persons excluded from the right of suffrage
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 4 — Certain occupations and conditions not to affect residence
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 5 — Registration and election laws to be passed
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 6 — Permanent registration
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 7 — Manner of voting; identification of voters
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 8 — Bi-partisan registration and election boards
• N.Y. Const. art. II, § 9 — Entitlement to vote for presidential electors
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 1 — Legislative power
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 2 — Number and terms of senators and assembly members
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 3 — Senate districts
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 4 — Readjustments and reapportionments; when federal census to control
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 5 — Apportionment of assembly members; creation of assembly districts
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 5-a — Definition of inhabitants for purpose of apportioning
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 5-b — An independent redistricting commission established
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 6 — Compensation, allowances and traveling expenses of members
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 7 — Members; qualifications; not to receive certain civil appointments; acceptance to vacate seat
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 8 — Time of elections of members
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 9 — Powers of each house
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 10 — Journals; open sessions; adjournments
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 11 — Members not to be questioned for speeches
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 12 — Bills may originate in either house; may be amended by the other
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 13 — Enacting clause of bills; no law to be enacted except by bill
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 14 — Manner of passing bills; message of necessity for immediate vote
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 15 — Private or local bills to embrace only one subject to be expressed in title
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 16 — Existing law not to be made applicable by reference
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 17 — Cases in which private or local bills shall not be passed
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 18 — Extraordinary sessions of the legislature; power to convene on legislative initiative
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 19 — Private claims not to be audited by legislature; claims barred by lapse of time
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 20 — Two-thirds bills
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 21 — Certain sections not to apply to bills recommended by certain commissioners or public agencies
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 22 — Tax laws to state tax and object distinctly; exception
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 23 — When yeas and nays necessary; three-fifths to constitute quorum
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 24 — Prison labor; contract system abolished
• N.Y. Const. art. III, § 25 — Continuity of state and local governmental operations in periods of emergency
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 1 — Executive power; election and terms of governor and lieutenant-governor
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 2 — Qualifications of governor and lieutenant-governor
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 3 — Powers and duties of governor; compensation
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 4 — Reprieves, commutations and pardons; powers and duties of governor relating to grants of
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 5 — When lieutenant-governor to act as governor
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 6 — Qualifications, duties and compensation of lieutenant-governor; succession to the governorship
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 7 — Action by governor on legislative bills; reconsideration after veto
• N.Y. Const. art. IV, § 8 — Departmental rules and regulations; filing; publication
• N.Y. Const. art. V, § 1 — Comptroller and attorney-general, election, qualifications and duties; payment of state moneys without audit void
• N.Y. Const. art. V, § 2 — Civil departments in state government
• N.Y. Const. art. V, § 3 — Assignment of functions; number of departments may be reduced
• N.Y. Const. art. V, § 4 — Department heads
• N.Y. Const. art. V, § 6 — Civil service appointments and promotions; veterans' preferences and credits
• N.Y. Const. art. V, § 7 — Membership in retirement systems; benefits not to be diminished nor impaired
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 1 — Unified court system for state established; organization; courts of record; service and execution of process
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 2 — Court of appeals and judges thereof; designation of supreme court justices to serve temporarily; judicial nominating commission; filling of vacancies by appointment; confirmation of appointments
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 3 — Court of appeals; jurisdiction
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 4 — Judicial departments; appellate divisions of supreme court and justices thereof; temporary designation of additional justices; transfer of appeals; jurisdiction
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 5 — Appeals from judgment or order; power of appellate court; transfer of appeals taken to unauthorized appellate court
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 6 — Judicial districts; composition; supreme court continued; justices of supreme court
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 7 — Jurisdiction of supreme court; new classes of actions
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 8 — Appellate terms of supreme court; composition and jurisdiction
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 9 — Court of claims continued; judges; jurisdiction
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 10 — County court continued; judges
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 11 — County court; jurisdiction; separate divisions
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 12 — Surrogate's court continued; judges; jurisdiction
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 13 — Family court established; composition; election and appointment of judges; jurisdiction
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 14 — Combination of certain judicial offices
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 15 — New York city; city-wide courts established; merger; judges; jurisdiction
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 16 — District courts; establishment; jurisdiction; judges; Nassau county district court continued
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 17 — Town, village and city courts; jurisdiction; regulation; judges
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 18 — Trial by jury; trial without a jury; claims against the state
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 19 — Transfer of actions and proceedings
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 20 — Judicial office, qualifications and restrictions
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 21 — Vacancies; how filled
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 22 — Commission on judicial conduct; membership; organization and procedure; review by court of appeals; discipline of judges
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 23 — Removal of certain judges and justices, by legislature; by senate on recommendation of governor
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 24 — Court for the trial of impeachments
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 25 — Compensation and retirement of certain judges and justices
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 26 — Temporary assignments of justices or judges to other courts
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 27 — Supreme court; extraordinary terms
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 28 — Administrative supervision of the courts
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 29 — Allocation of cost of maintenance and operation of courts; determination of annual financial needs of the courts
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 30 — Regulation of jurisdiction, practice and procedure of the courts
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 31 — Peacemakers and other Indian courts continued
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 32 — Safeguarding religion of children under jurisdiction of court
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 33 — Existing laws to continue in force; legislature to implement article
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 34 — Determination of pending appeals, actions and proceedings; terms of judges and justices now in office
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 35 — Abolition of certain courts; disposal of records; transfer of judges, justices, court personnel and pending actions and proceedings
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 36 — Disposal of appeals, actions and proceedings
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 36-a — Effective date of certain amendments to articles VI and VII
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 36-c — Effective date of certain amendments to article VI, sec. 22
• N.Y. Const. art. VI, § 37 — Effective date of article
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 1 — Estimates by departments, the legislature and the judiciary of needed appropriations; hearings
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 2 — Executive budget
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 3 — Budget bills; appearances before legislature
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 4 — Action on budget bills by legislature; effect thereof
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 5 — Restrictions on consideration of other appropriations
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 6 — Restrictions on content of appropriation bills
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 7 — Appropriation bills
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 8 — Gift or loan of state credit or money prohibited; exceptions for enumerated purposes
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 9 — Short term state debts in anticipation of taxes, revenues and proceeds of sale of authorized bonds
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 10 — State debts on account of invasion, insurrection, war and forest fires
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 11 — State debts generally; manner of contracting; referendum
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 12 — State debts generally; how paid; restrictions on use of bond proceeds
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 13 — Refund of state debts
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 14 — State debt for elimination of railroad crossings at grade; expenses; how borne; construction and reconstruction of state highways and parkways
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 15 — Sinking funds; how kept and invested; income therefrom and application thereof
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 16 — Payment of state debts; when comptroller to pay without appropriation
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 17 — Authorizing the legislature to establish a fund or funds for tax revenue stabilization reserves; regulating payments thereto and withdrawals therefrom
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 18 — Bonus on account of service of certain veterans in world war II
• N.Y. Const. art. VII, § 19 — State debt for expansion of state university
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 1 — Gift or loan or credit of local subdivisions prohibited; exceptions for enumerated purposes
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 2 — Restrictions on indebtedness of local subdivisions; contracting and payment of local indebtedness; exceptions
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 2-a — Local indebtedness for water supply, sewage disposal and drainage facilities and purposes; allocations and exclusions of indebtedness
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 3 — Restrictions on creation and indebtedness of certain corporations
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 4 — Limitations on local indebtedness
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 5 — Ascertainment of debt-incurring power of counties, cities, towns and villages; certain indebtedness to be excluded
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 6 — Debt-incurring power of Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse; certain additional indebtedness to be excluded
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 7 — Debt-incurring power of New York city; certain additional indebtedness to be excluded
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 7-a — Debt-incurring power of New York city; certain indebtedness for railroads and transit purposes to be excluded
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 8 — Indebtedness not to be invalidated by operation of this article
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 9 — When debt-incurring power of certain counties shall cease
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 10 — Limitations on amount to be raised by real estate taxes for local purposes; exceptions
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 10-a — Application and use of revenues from certain public improvements
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 11 — Taxes for certain capital expenditures to be excluded from tax limitation
• N.Y. Const. art. VIII, § 12 — Further limitations on local powers of taxation and indebtedness
• N.Y. Const. art. IX, § 1 — Bill of rights for local governments
• N.Y. Const. art. IX, § 2 — Powers and duties of legislature; home rule powers of local governments; statute of local governments
• N.Y. Const. art. IX, § 3 — Existing laws to remain applicable; construction; definitions
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 1 — Corporations; formation of
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 2 — Dues of corporations
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 3 — Savings bank charters; restrictions on trustees; special charters not to be granted
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 4 — Corporations; definition; right to sue and be sued
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 5 — Public corporations; restrictions on creation and powers; accounts; obligations 6. Liability of state for payment of bonds of public corporation to construct state thruways; use of state canal lands and properties
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 6 — Liability of state for payment of bonds of public corporation to construct state thruways; use of state canal lands and properties
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 7 — Liability of state for payment of obligations of port of New York authority for purchase of railroad passenger equipment
• N.Y. Const. art. X, § 8 — Liability of state for payment of obligations of public corporation issued to finance new industrial or manufacturing plants in depressed areas
• N.Y. Const. art. XI, § 1 — Common schools
• N.Y. Const. art. XI, § 2 — Regents of the University
• N.Y. Const. art. XI, § 3 — Use of public property or money in aid of denominational schools prohibited; transportation of children authorized
• N.Y. Const. art. XII, § 1 — Defense of state; organized militia
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 1 — Oath of office; no other test for public office
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 2 — Duration of term of office
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 3 — Vacancies in office; how filled
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 4 — Political year and legislative term
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 5 — Removal from office for misconduct
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 6 — When office to be deemed vacant; legislature may declare
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 7 — Compensation of officers
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 8 — Election and term of city and certain county officers
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 13 — Law enforcement and other officers
• N.Y. Const. art. XIII, § 14 — Legislature may regulate wages, hours, etc. of public employees and of persons employed on public contracts
• N.Y. Const. art. XIV, § 1 — Forest preserve to be forever kept wild; certain uses and exceptions authorized
• N.Y. Const. art. XIV, § 2 — Reservoirs
• N.Y. Const. art. XIV, § 3 — Forest and wild life conservation; use or disposition of certain forest preserve lands authorized
• N.Y. Const. art. XIV, § 4 — Protection of natural resources and the development of agricultural lands
• N.Y. Const. art. XIV, § 5 — Violations of article; how restrained
• N.Y. Const. art. XIV, § 6 — Enacted without section heading
• N.Y. Const. art. XV, § 1 — Disposition of canals and canal properties prohibited
• N.Y. Const. art. XV, § 2 — Prohibition inapplicable to lands and properties no longer useful; disposition authorized
• N.Y. Const. art. XV, § 3 — No tolls to be imposed; contracts for work and materials; no extra compensation
• N.Y. Const. art. XV, § 4 — Lease or transfer of barge canal to federal government authorized
• N.Y. Const. art. XVI, § 1 — Power of taxation; exemptions from taxation
• N.Y. Const. art. XVI, § 2 — Assessments for taxation purposes
• N.Y. Const. art. XVI, § 3 — Situs of intangible personal property; taxation of
• N.Y. Const. art. XVI, § 4 — Certain corporations not to be discriminated against
• N.Y. Const. art. XVI, § 5 — Compensation of public officers and employees subject to taxation
• N.Y. Const. art. XVI, § 6 — Municipal redevelopment projects; allocation of real property taxes therefor
• N.Y. Const. art. XVII, § 1 — Public relief and care
• N.Y. Const. art. XVII, § 2 — State board of social welfare; powers and duties
• N.Y. Const. art. XVII, § 3 — Public health
• N.Y. Const. art. XVII, § 4 — Care and treatment of persons suffering from mental disorder or defect; visitation of institutions for
• N.Y. Const. art. XVII, § 5 — Institutions for detention of criminals; probation; parole; state commission of correction
• N.Y. Const. art. XVII, § 6 — Visitation and inspection
• N.Y. Const. art. XVII, § 7 — Loan of public funds for hospital facilities
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 1 — Housing and nursing home accommodations for persons of low income; slum clearance
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 2 — Idem; powers of legislature in aid of
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 3 — Article VII to apply to state debts under this article, with certain exceptions; amortization of state debts; capital and periodic subsidies
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 4 — Powers of cities, towns and villages to contract indebtedness in aid of low rent housing and slum clearance projects; restrictions thereon
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 5 — Liability for certain loans made by the state to certain public corporations
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 6 — Loans and subsidies; restrictions on and preference in occupancy of projects
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 7 — Liability arising from guarantees to be deemed indebtedness; method of computing
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 8 — Excess condemnation
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 9 — Acquisition of property for purposes of article
• N.Y. Const. art. XVIII, § 10 — Power of legislature; construction of article
• N.Y. Const. art. XIX, § 1 — Amendments to constitution; how proposed, voted upon and ratified; failure of attorney-general to render opinion not to affect validity
• N.Y. Const. art. XIX, § 2 — Future constitutional conventions; how called; election of delegates; compensation; quorum; submission of amendments; officers; employees; rules; vacancies
• N.Y. Const. art. XIX, § 3 — Amendments simultaneously submitted by convention and legislature