Association of Surrogates & Supreme Court Reporters v. State

OPINION OF THE COURT

This appeal — here on a question of statutory interpretation certified to us by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit — requires us to determine whether Civil Service Law § 204-a (1) makes "the compensation sections of collective bargaining agreements to which it applies conditional upon or subject to annual legislative appropriations.” For the reasons that follow, we answer that question in the negative.

I

This action was brought in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as a constitutional challenge to legislation enacted…