Financial disclosure of public officers

2 Co-sponsors

• Craig M. Johnson
• José M. Serrano

Title of bill

An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to financial disclosure of public officers

Purpose

This legislation addresses a deficiency in the annual financial disclosure statement required to be filed by public officers pursuant to section 73-a of the Public Officers Law. Currently, attorneys are required not to provide a list of their clients. This legislation eliminates this prohibition in that it requires attorneys who are compensated $1,000 or more within a one-year period for legal or consulting services to disclose those clients who are either corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, sole proprietors, associations, business or commercial entities or other organizations.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 amends subdivision 3 of section 73-a of the Public Officers Law to require public officers and elected officials who provide legal or consulting services to disclose clients who are either corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, sole proprietors, associations, business or commercial entities or other organizations.

Section 2 this act shall take effect January 1, 2011.

Existing law

This act amends section 73-a.

Justification

Attorney client disclosure is essential to to ensure that all public officials carry on their duties free from impropriety and undue external influence. Currently, public officers and elected officials who practice law are prohibited from providing a list of their clients on their annual financial disclosure statement. This prohibition provides cover to those attorneys and discriminates against public officers who do not possess a law degree. This legislation ends this protection and will now require the disclosure of all corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, sole proprietors, associations, business or commercial entities or other organizations, who are likely to have business before the state, and seek to influence legislators and policy-makers by retaining those legislators and policy-makers for legal or consulting services.

Legislative history

This is new legislation.

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2010, amending the executive law and other laws relating to governmental ethics and compliance, as proposed in legislative bill numbers S.6457 and A.9544, takes effect.