Bill Text: NY A02494 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires each branch of state government and political subdivision of the state to establish and abide by a code of ethics; requires ethics commissions; sets standards for codes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-18 - opinion referred to judiciary [A02494 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A02494-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2494

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 19, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Governmental Operations

                    CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

        proposing an amendment to article 13 of the constitution, in relation to
          codes of ethics

     1    Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That  article  13  of  the
     2  constitution be amended by adding a new section 15 to read as follows:
     3    §  15.  A  public  office is a public trust. The people shall have the
     4  right to secure and sustain that trust against  abuse.  Public  officers
     5  and  employees must exhibit the highest standards of ethical conduct and
     6  demonstrate the personal integrity of each individual in government.  To
     7  keep  faith  with  this belief, each branch of state government and each
     8  political subdivision of the state shall adopt a code  of  ethics  which
     9  shall apply to appointed and elected officers and employees of the state
    10  who have influence over policy or the political subdivision, as the case
    11  may be, including members of the boards, commissions and other bodies.
    12    Each code of ethics shall be administered by a separate ethics commis-
    13  sion.  Ethics  commissioners shall be selected in a manner which assures
    14  their independence and impartiality.
    15    Each code of ethics shall include, but not be limited  to,  provisions
    16  on  gifts,  confidential  information,  use  of position, contracts with
    17  government agencies, post-employment, financial disclosure, conflict  of
    18  interest  and  lobbyist  registration  and  restriction.  The  financial
    19  disclosure provisions shall require all elected officers, all candidates
    20  for elective office and such appointed officers and employees as may  be
    21  provided by law to make public financial disclosures. Other public offi-
    22  cials  having significant discretionary or fiscal powers, as provided by
    23  law,  shall  make  confidential  financial  disclosures.  All  financial
    24  disclosure  statements shall include, but not be limited to, sources and
    25  amounts of income, business ownership, officer and  director  positions,
    26  ownership of real property, debts, creditor interests in insolvent busi-
    27  nesses and the names of persons represented before government agencies.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD89001-01-1
        A. 2494                             2

     1    §  2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendment be
     2  referred to the first regular legislative session  convening  after  the
     3  next  succeeding  general  election  of members of the assembly, and, in
     4  conformity with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution,  be
     5  published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.