The County Legislature shall be the legislative, appropriating and policy-determining body of the county. The County Legislature shall have and exercise all powers and duties of the county, except as provided in this County Charter Law, now or hereafter conferred by applicable law and any and all powers necessarily implied or incidental thereto. In addition to all powers conferred by the foregoing or other provisions of this law, the County Legislature shall have the power, among others:
a. 
To adopt by resolution all necessary rules and regulations for its conduct and procedure.
b. 
To make appropriations, levy taxes, incur indebtedness and adopt the budget.
c. 
To exercise all powers of local legislation in relation to enacting, amending or rescinding local laws, legalizing acts or resolutions, which shall all be binding upon the County Executive, the Legislature and all department heads.
[Amended 7-1-2014 by L.L. No. 4-2014[2]]
[2]
Editor’s Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 8-7-2014 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-4-2014.
d. 
To adopt, amend and repeal by local law an Administrative Code[3] which shall set forth the details of administration of the county government consistent with the provisions of this law and which may contain revisions, simplifications, consolidations, codifications and restatements of special laws, local laws, resolutions, rules and regulations consistent with this law or amendments thereto.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 5, Administrative Code.
e. 
By local law to create, alter, combine or abolish county administrative units.
f. 
To create and abolish positions and to fix the compensation of all officers and employees paid from county funds, except that the compensation of any elected official or official appointed for a fixed term paid from county funds shall not be changed during his or her term of office, except as in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Home Rule Law.
[Amended 7-1-2014 by L.L. No. 4-2014[4]]
[4]
Editor’s Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 8-7-2014 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-4-2014.
g. 
To make or cause to be made such studies, audits and investigations as it deems to be in the best interest of the county and, in connection therewith, to obtain professional and technical advice, appoint temporary advisory boards of citizens in investigations, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the production of books, papers and other evidence deemed necessary or material to such investigation, all in furtherance of its legislative functions.
h. 
To fix the amount of bonds of officers and employees paid from county funds.
i. 
To determine and fix real property tax equalization rates among the various taxing districts of the county for county purposes consistent with standards prescribed by the Legislature of the State of New York and file the same in accordance with applicable law.
j. 
To determine and make provision for any matter of county government not otherwise provided for.
[Amended 7-1-2014 by L.L. No. 4-2014[5]]
[5]
Editor’s Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 8-7-2014 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-4-2014.
k. 
To provide for the annual audit of the books and records of the county by independent auditors.
l. 
To approve the execution of all contracts in excess of $100,000 entered into by the county.
[Added 6-18-1996 by L.L. No. 18-1996[6]]
[6]
Editor's Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 9-3-1996 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-5-1996.
m. 
To approve any extensions of appointments to temporary positions with an annualized salary of $75,000 or more that were originally made by the County Executive for a period not to exceed seventy-five (75) days and that may subsequently be extended for up to seventy-five (75) days at a time with the approval of the Legislature. The failure of the Legislature to consider and either confirm or reject the extension within the seventy-five days (75) shall not result in the abolishment of the position without legislative action.
[Added 7-1-2014 by L.L. No. 4-2014[7]]
[7]
Editor’s Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 8-7-2014 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-4-2014.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 5, Administrative Code, § 5-10.
[Amended 7-1-2014 by L.L. No. 4-2014[2]]
Every local law, resolution and budget amendment shall be certified by the Clerk to the County Legislature after its passage by such body and thereafter every such local law and resolution, except resolutions establishing the rules and regulations of the Legislature, the setting of a date for a public hearing, other matters pertaining solely to the conduct of its own procedures including the election of a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, the confirmation or rejection of County Executive appointments, and appointments vested solely in the Legislature by this Charter or local law, shall be presented to the elected County Executive within five days of such passage for approval by him or her, except for budget amendments which are provided for in § C4.08 of this Charter. If such officer approves it, he or she shall sign it and return it to such Clerk; it shall then be deemed to have been adopted. If he or she disapproves it, he or she shall return it to the Clerk with his or her objections stated in writing, and the Clerk shall present the same with such objections to the County Legislature at its next regular meeting, and such objections shall be entered in its record, journal or minutes of proceedings. The Legislature, within thirty days from the date of said regular meeting, may reconsider the same. If after such reconsideration such local law or resolution is adopted by a vote of at least two-thirds of the total voting power of the legislative body taken to the next highest whole number, it shall be deemed adopted. Only one vote shall be had upon such reconsideration. If, within twenty-one days after a local law or resolution shall have been presented to him or her, the County Executive shall neither approve it nor return it to the Clerk with his or her objections, it shall be deemed to be adopted in like manner as if he or she had signed it. At any time prior to such adoption or to the return of a local law or resolution by the County Executive, as the case may be, the legislature may recall the same and reconsider its action thereon.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 5, Administrative Code, §§ 5-17 through 5-23.
[2]
Editor’s Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 8-7-2014 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-4-2014.
Vacancies which occur on the County Legislature shall be filled by appointment by the Legislature of Rockland County from among qualified electors of the legislative district from which the vacancy occurred. A majority of the total voting power of the Legislature shall be required. The appointment shall be made within thirty days after the vacancy occurs. If the appointment is not made within said thirty days, a special election shall be conducted to fill the vacancy within ninety days after the vacancy; provided, however, that if there shall be a general election within one hundred twenty days after said vacancy occurs, the vacancy shall be filled at the general election. The person so appointed shall hold office until the commencement of the calendar year next succeeding the first annual election at which the vacancy may be filled.
Any successor who shall be so appointed or elected shall possess all the qualifications required of members of the County Legislature set forth in this law.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 5, Administrative Code, § 5-16.
[Amended 7-1-2014 by L.L. No. 4-2014[2]]
On January first of each year or as soon thereafter as practicable, the County Legislature shall meet and organize by electing from among its members a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who shall serve for the balance of the year so appointed and such other officials as are deemed required. The Chairperson shall appoint members of the County Legislature to serve on such committees as are provided by the rules of such Legislature. The Clerk of the County Legislature shall preside at all meetings of the Legislature until such time as a Chairperson has been designated by election. The failure to elect a Chairperson or appoint committee members shall not prevent the County Legislature from transacting its ordinary business. In the event there is a vacancy in the position of Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall serve as acting Chairperson until either a new Chairperson is elected or for the balance of the calendar year. In the event there is a vacancy in the position of Vice-Chairperson, the vacancy shall be filled by majority vote of the full Legislature.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 5, Administrative Code, § 5-11.
[2]
Editor’s Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 8-7-2014 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-4-2014.
On January first of each year or as soon thereafter as practicable, the County Legislature shall appoint a Clerk who shall serve for the balance of the year so appointed and until a successor is appointed and has qualified, and, from time to time, the Clerk shall appoint at least one deputy and such additional personnel as are required.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 5, Administrative Code, § 5-12.
[Amended 6-18-1996 by L.L. No. 17-1996[2]; 7-1-2014 by L.L. No. 4-2014[3]]
1. 
Resolutions regarding appointments made by the County Executive, which require confirmation by the County Legislature, shall be presented to the Clerk to the Legislature within ten days of the appointment by the County Executive and at least ten days prior to the next scheduled full legislative meeting. If the Legislature fails to vote upon and either confirm or reject the appointment within sixty days from the first full legislative meeting that the appointment could have been considered, the appointment shall be deemed confirmed.
2. 
Before being voted on by the full Legislature, every appointment shall be discussed in the appropriate legislative committee, whose Chair shall present the recommendation of the committee members to the full Legislature.
3. 
If a resolution to appoint fails to pass after a vote of the full Legislature within sixty (60) days from the first full legislative meeting that the appointment could have been considered, the appointment shall be deemed rejected with no further action by the Legislature.
4. 
When an appointment is rejected by the Legislature, the same appointment may not be resubmitted by the County Executive without the approval of the Legislature.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 5, Administrative Code, § 5-18.
[2]
Editor's Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 9-3-1996 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-5-1996.
[3]
Editor’s Note: This local law was approved by the County Legislature 8-7-2014 over the veto of the County Executive and was approved at referendum 11-4-2014.