A major and perhaps insurmountable obstacle to Staten Island secession arose yesterday as officials of the New York State Assembly's Democratic majority said the State Legislature could not act on a bill to make the borough an independent city unless New York City itself requested the action.

After reviewing the bill introduced this week, the officials said that in their view the State Constitution required a "home rule message" from New York City -- a formal request to the Legislature to consider a measure that would dismember the city a century after its five boroughs were consolidated.

Under the State Constitution and laws intended to protect localities from tyranny by Albany, state legislators may not impose local taxes, change the forms of local government or take other drastic actions affecting localities unless those localities adopt home rule messages asking for the measures.

City officials said it was highly unlikely that the City Council or Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani would ask Albany to consider the measure. And while the bill's legislative sponsors disputed the Assembly leadership and said they would fight on, it appeared that the five-year battle to create a new City of Staten Island was in trouble. 'Virtually Precludes' Action