UTICA, N.Y - A controversial bill in the state Assembly is causing quite the stir throughout the area. The bill proposes that the state of New York be divided up into three separate regions.

Buffalo Assemblyman David Pietro introduced the bill.

The bill would call for an amendment of article 20 of the U.S Constitution to be able to divide New York into 3 autonomous regions.

For federal purposes, New York would still remain one state. But each individual region would elect its own governor legislature and judicial branch.

"Personally, I don't think this makes any sense. I mean every state has different regions where people have different political opinions and so I don't think it makes any sense to split our up just because downstate is different than upstate," said Alison Shanley.

Local elected officials also weighed in on the bill.

"I believe that the best and most realistic approach to addressing these issues and concerns would be my legislation that provides each county with its own Senator. This concept already works for the federal government and would provide the necessary geographic and political balance needed in our state," said Senator Joe Griffo.

"The proposal to call Upstate New York New Amsterdam, I would not be in favor of that. I grew up in New York all of my life and just the thought of not being in New York and under a different name, I would not be happy with that. I would just prefer we keep everything with New York," said Joe Conigliaro.

Others believe if the bill does go through, Upstate New York will be better represented.

"They tend to overpower our votes, there are more people living in New York City than there is in a lot of upstate New York," said Sarah Oleksik.

So here's how the regions would be broken up:

• New Amsterdam would be everything north of Westchester County which includes our area.

• New York would consist of Bronx, Kings, New York City, Queens, and Richmond counties.

• Montauk would consist of Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, and Westchester counties.