Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay) announced the passage of legislation to amend to strip taxpayer-funded pensions from public officers convicted of corruption (A.1749) and of a joint resolution requiring legislators in both houses to submit information about their outside income.

“I was proud to cast my vote for greater accountability and transparency in our state government,” said Jones. “Politicians who choose to abuse their powers and betray the public trust should be held responsible for the crimes they commit.”

This is the second time the pension forfeiture bill has been passed by the legislature, meaning it can now be placed on the ballot in November. If voters approve the measure, it will become a new requirement in the state constitution. As for the joint resolution, legislators earning more than $5,000 per year in outside income must seek a ruling from the independent Legislative Ethics Commission (LEC), which will then decide whether a conflict of interest exists. Current legislators are required to submit information within their first 30 days if they plan to continue earning outside income.

“The North Country deserves a government that puts the interest of hardworking families first,” said Jones. “Public officials are sent to represent the best interests of our communities and the people who elected them. If they betray the trust of the voters, they’ll have to answer for it.”