A New York lawmaker unveiled legislation that would examine the effects of separating upstate and downstate and forming two states.
State Sen. Daphne Jordan, a Republican from Halfmoon, introduced a bill that would form a working group within the state comptroller's office. The panel, according to the bill's justification, would study the economic impact and legal challenges of dividing the state.
The study would also include a determination on how much it would cost to form two new state governments.
Jordan's bill defines upstate as the area north of Long Island, New York City, Rockland and Westchester counties.
In the bill's memo, Jordan explains that there are "extremely divergent political and social views" between downstate and upstate, and that there have been calls for the regions to "part ways."
"This bill would help to resolve these questions and would inform the governor and legislature on how to proceed," Jordan wrote.
The legislation won't advance in the Democratic-controlled state Legislature. Even if it did, it wouldn't receive Gov. Andrew Cuomo's approval.
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