What's happening
This bill prohibits individuals appointed to state or local boards, their relatives, and their companies from making political contributions.
Why it matters
Aims to reduce conflicts of interest. by preventing state and local board appointees, their close relatives, and their companies from financially influencing political parties or candidates, addressing concerns about “pay-to-play” practices.
Expands the definition of “relative”. to include not only immediate family but also anyone living in the same household and a broad range of descendants and their spouses, making the restriction more comprehensive.
Applies retroactively to recent appointees. by covering individuals who held appointed positions within the past two years, not just current appointees, to close potential loopholes and ensure recently departed officials are also restricted.
Targets both personal and business contributions. by including companies where the appointee or their relative owns more than 10%, potentially impacting business owners and family enterprises connected to public officials.
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Who cares
State and local board and authority appointees
The bill would bar political contributions by people currently appointed to these positions or appointed during the past two years.
Appointees’ relatives and household members
The contribution ban would also cover relatives as broadly defined to include household members and specified extended family members.
Companies owned by appointees or their relatives
Companies in which an appointee or relative owns more than a 10 percent interest would be barred from making covered contributions.
Political parties and state and local candidates
State party organizations, committees, candidates and candidate committees would lose access to contributions from the covered appointees, relatives and companies.
Headline styles
Limit Political Donations by Appointees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 61
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to elections
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8037
IN SENATE
March 21, 2018
Introduced by Sen. RANZENHOFER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to contribution limits for parties appointed to public positions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 14-115 to read as follows:
§ 14-115. Contribution limits for parties appointed to public positions. 1. For purposes of this section "relative" of any individual shall mean any person living in the same household as the individual and any person who is a direct descendant of that individual's or that individual's spouse's grandparents or the spouse of such descendant.
2. Notwithstanding any other section of law, no person, relative of such person, or company in which such person or his or her relative owns more than a ten percent interest who is, or during the past two years has been, appointed to a position on any state or local board or authority within the state may make a contribution to any state constituted party or committee or any candidate or candidate committee for any office of the state, municipal or other local government.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15028-01-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to contribution limits for parties appointed to public positions
Purpose
To bar contributions from persons appointed to public boards and author- ities and their families from making political donations.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends the Election Law to add a new section 14115. This section provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person, relative of such person, as defined in the section, or company in which such person has a ten percent or more interest, who is or has during the past two years been appointed to a position on any state or local board or authority within the state may make any political contribution to any state constituted party or committee or any candi- date or candidate committee for any office of the state, municipal or other local government.
Section 2: Effective date.
Justification
For many years, some persons who have been appointed to public boards or authorities have made substantial political donations both before and after their appointment. Persons appointed to public boards and authori- ties often receive significant payment for serving on these boards and authorities, and often control how and to whom large sums of public money are spent. There are rules requiring disclosure of conflicts of interest, but there remains the perception of possible impropriety when persons appointed to these powerful positions donate, either personally or through their families and businesses, to those who appointed them or who may be affiliated with the appointing persons. The Governor has an executive order that applies only to his office, but it does not hold the same permanence as a law, and does not apply broadly to all boards and authorities and other elected offices.
The simple and clear ban provided for in this bill is an unambiguous rule that all parties can understand and allows all parties to avoid criticism or the appearance of impropriety.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act will take effect 180 days after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.