The Text

The existing surrogates’ courts are continued, and the surrogates now in office shall hold their offices until the expiration of their respective present terms. Their successors shall be chosen by the electors of their respective counties, and their terms of office shall be six years, except in the counties of New York, Kings, Bronx and Queens, where they shall hereafter be elected for terms of fourteen years. Surrogates and surrogates’ courts shall have the jurisdiction, legal and equitable, and powers now established by law until otherwise provided by the legislature. The county judge shall be and serve as surrogate of his county except where a separate surrogate has been or shall be elected. In any county having a population exceeding forty thousand wherein there is now no separate surrogate, the legislature may provide for the election of a separate officer to be surrogate, whose term of office shall be six years. When the surrogate shall be elected as a separate officer his compensation shall be established by law, and shall be payable out of the county treasury.
The legislature may at any time provide that the duties of county judge and surrogate in any county be discharged by the same person. For the relief of surrogates’ courts the legislature may confer upon the supreme court in any county having a population exceeding four hundred thousand, the powers and jurisdiction of surrogates.