Expands the ethical duties of public officers and employees to include compliance with the state human rights law and any policies or procedures implemented by their employer related thereto.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6201
SPONSOR: Kelles TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to expanding the
ethical duties of public officers and employees
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:'
To expand the ethical duties required under Public Officers Law to
prohibit acts of harassment and discrimination.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 74 of the public officers law by adding a new
subdivision 5 to expand the ethical duties of those individuals subject
to public officers law to prohibit acts of harassment or discrimination,
and requires those in supervisory positions to act against acts of
discrimination and harassment.
Section 2 sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Albany's reputation of discrimination and harassment illustrates how
inadequate our systems are in preventing and responding to misconduct.
This legislation amends the Public Officers Law to make clear that acts
of discrimination and harassment are a violation. Further, it requires
covered individuals who work in supervisory capacities to take appropri-
ate action in response to these violations. This will empower the
Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government to hold public officers
accountable for sexual harassment and other workplace discrimination.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: A9279 - referred to Governmental Operations
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
TBD
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6201
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KELLES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to expanding the
ethical duties of public officers and employees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 74 of the public officers law is amended by adding
2 a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
3 5. Other ethical duties. It shall be the ethical duty of every person
4 subject to the provisions of this section to comply with the provisions
5 of article fifteen of the executive law and any policies or procedures
6 implemented by their legislative chamber, state agency, or state office
7 related thereto. No person shall commit an act of harassment or discrim-
8 ination while serving in their official capacity and no such person
9 serving in a supervisory capacity shall know of an act of discrimination
10 or harassment without taking action, including but not limited to,
11 imposing consequences on the perpetrator of such act of discrimination
12 or harassment in accordance with any applicable law, rule, policy or
13 procedure.
14 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
15 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07290-01-5
