NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4478
SPONSOR: Morinello TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law, the legislative law, the
election law and the executive law, in relation to ethics reform
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To amend the public officers law, the legislative law, the election law
in relation to penalizing individuals who exceed four consecutive two-
year terms as temporary president of the senate, minority leader of the
senate, speaker of the assembly or chairperson of any state or assembly
committee; restricts campaign contributions for individuals, businesses
or corporations that were awarded contracts with the state or any munic-
ipal corporation.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends subdivision 4 of section 74 of the public officers law
to provide that any such violators of the following sections will be
subject to a civil penalty in an amount and not to exceed forty thousand
dollars and the value of any gift, compensation, or benefit received as
a result of such violation.
Section 2 amends the legislative law by adding a new section 5-b that
reads: no member of the legislature may serve more than four consecutive
two- year terms as temporary president of the senate, minority leader of
the senate, speaker of the assembly or chairperson of any state or
assembly committee.
Section 3 amends the election law by adding a new section 14-115 to
provide that there are restrictions on campaign contributions for indi-
viduals, businesses or corporations that were awarded contracts with the
state or any municipal corporation.
Section 4 amends paragraphs a, b and c of subdivision 1 of section
14-114 of the election law, paragraphs a b and c are amended to restrict
the amounts an individual, business or corporation can contribute to a
candidate.
Section 5 amends section 14-114 of the election law restricting campaign
contributions, loans or guarantees to ten thousand dollars in any calen-
dar year.
Section 6 amends subdivision 10 of section 14-114 of the election law to
provide that no contributor may make a contribution to a party that
exceeds ten thousand dollars per annum.
Section 7 amends the legislative law by adding a new section 33-a to
provide that no member direct state funds to any individual, business or
corporation that has made any contribution to any member of the legisla-
ture, statewide elected official, political committee or independent
expenditure committee.
Section 8 amends the executive law by adding a new section 2C4 to
provide that a statewide database of all contracts awarded by the state.
JUSTIFICATION:
It is necessary to update the public officers law, the legislative law,
the election law and the executive law, in relation to ethics reform in
order to ensure a fair political landscape for New York State citizens.
Positions of leadership in the legislature should have term limits in
order to ensure that power structures and ideas change in due course.
The current status of the law regarding political contributions allows
those who make large contributions to receive more opportunities in the
form of contracts and political favors. This bill allows for a more
equitable form of politics in New York State that does not solely favor
those who are able to make large contributions.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.6224 of 2019-20 A.6810 of 2017-18
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The act will take effect immediately.
