Requires additional disclosures from lobbyists

5 Co-sponsors

• Thomas K. Duane
• Eric T. Schneiderman
• José M. Serrano
• Daniel L. Squadron
• Toby Ann Stavisky

Title of bill

An act to amend the legislative law and the election law, in relation to disclosures required for lobbyists

Purpose

This bill would require lobbyists to report campaign contributions, professional relationships with public officials, and employment relationships with relatives of public officials.

Summary of specific provisions

The legislative law would be amended to require lobbyists to report campaign contributions made by the lobbyist or employees of the lobbyist to any campaign or political committee in New York State. Any business relationship the lobbyist has with any public official or family members of a public official to whom a lobbyist employer has paid compensation of more than $500 in the preceding calendar year for personal employment or professional services paid must be reported.

Justification

Recent lobbying scandals at the national level have highlighted the potential for inappropriate and sometimes illegal influence by lobbyists over government officials. Recently, two state legislators and one top-ranking Pataki Administration official have been sent to prison and another lawmaker resigned in disgrace for violating the public trust. In order to restore that trust, it is essential that New York adopt strict standards of behavior for its public officials, and enforce those standards in a vigilant and consistent manner.

New York, in comparison with other states, has not been a leader in terms of adopting strong ethics standards for our public officials. This legislation would increase the amount of information shared with the public regarding relationships between lobbyists and legislators and bring much needed sunlight into our governmental process.

The first provision of this legislation addresses difficulties in determining the extent of lobbyists' contributions to political campaigns. In the wake of the Abramoff scandal at the national level, it is clear that such contributions are often given by lobbyists with the goal of inappropriately or illegally influencing the governmental decision making process. This legislation would reveal any such relationship to the public.

The next two provisions address issues of business employment relation- ships between lobbyists and public officials or their families. Because the New York State legislature is officially a part time job, New York State legislators are often employed in positions with law firms that do business with lobbying firms. These relationships should be disclosed to the public. Similarly, the public has a right to know if close relatives of legislators are employed as lobbyists, to citizens who are in a position to evaluate whether such relationships result in inappropriate influence over a government decision making.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.