What's happening
This bill prohibits naming state-funded facilities after living public officials unless they've been out of office for ten years or get special legislative and gubernatorial approval.
Why it matters
Addresses potential conflicts of interest and self-promotion. by making it much harder for sitting or recently retired public officials to have state-funded facilities named after them, helping to ensure such honors are based on long-term merit rather than political influence or favoritism.
Requires significant legislative and executive scrutiny for exceptions. , meaning that any decision to name a state-funded facility after a living official must undergo public debate and receive broad political support, increasing transparency and accountability in the process.
Empowers the Attorney General to enforce the rules. , giving the law real teeth and making it possible for violations—such as unauthorized naming—to be challenged and reversed through civil action, thus deterring attempts to circumvent the restrictions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Naming Buildings After Politicians
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 108
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Naming Buildings for Politicians
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Tony Avella
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3450
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD, FRIEND, ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to enacting the "politician self-immortalization prevention act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "politician self-immortalization prevention act".
§ 2. The public officers law is amended by adding a new section 73-c to read as follows:
§ 73-c. Naming of facilities after public officials; prohibited. 1. No facility, the construction, rehabilitation or operation of which is supported by state funds, may be named after a living person who is subject to the provisions of this article unless such person has been out of public office for at least ten years.
2. The prohibition set forth in this section shall not apply where the legislature approves the naming of such facility in the manner provided for in section fourteen of article three of the state constitution, and the governor approves the naming of such facility in the manner provided for in section seven of article four of the state constitution.
3. Where any person, municipal corporation or other entity violates the provisions of this section, the attorney general may initiate a civil action to enforce the prohibition set forth in this section.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00642-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.