STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1961 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 11, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sen. LATIMER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern- ment Operations AN ACT to amend the public officers law and the civil rights law, in relation to prohibiting persons from holding public office or posi- tions of political party leadership when convicted of certain felonies The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The public officers law is amended by adding a new section 2 3-d to read as follows: 3 § 3-d. Restrictions upon holding public office; felony conviction. 1. 4 No person shall be capable of holding a civil office or a position of 5 leadership in a political party for a period of ten years if he or she 6 has been convicted of any felony under article one hundred forty-five, 7 one hundred fifty-five, one hundred seventy, one hundred seventy-five, 8 one hundred ninety-five, two hundred, two hundred ten, or two hundred 9 fifteen of the penal law. 10 2. No person shall be capable of joining a political committee for a 11 period of five years following the completion of any sentence for a 12 felony conviction under article one hundred forty-five, one hundred 13 fifty-five, one hundred seventy, one hundred seventy-five, one hundred 14 ninety-five, two hundred, two hundred ten, or two hundred fifteen of the 15 penal law, regardless of whether he or she has obtained a certificate of 16 relief of disabilities from the division of criminal justice services. 17 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 79 of the civil rights law, as amended 18 by chapter 687 of the laws of 1973, is amended to read as follows: 19 1. Except as provided in subdivision two of this section a sentence of 20 imprisonment in a state correctional institution for any term less than 21 for life or a sentence of imprisonment in a state correctional institu- 22 tion for an indeterminate term, having a minimum of one day and a maxi- 23 mum of natural life, forfeits all the public offices, and suspends, EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD00903-01-7S. 1961 2 1 during the term of the sentence, all the civil rights, and all private 2 trusts, authority, or powers of, or held by, the person sentenced, and 3 forfeits the right to hold public office or a position of leadership in 4 a political party for a period of ten years following the completion of 5 any sentence for a felony conviction under article one hundred forty- 6 five, one hundred fifty-five, one hundred seventy, one hundred seventy- 7 five, one hundred ninety-five, two hundred, two hundred ten, or two 8 hundred fifteen of the penal law, regardless of whether he or she has 9 obtained a certificate of relief of disabilities from the division of 10 criminal justice services. 11 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.