What's happening
This bill creates new felony offenses for public servants who commit official misconduct to obtain benefits exceeding $1,000 or $3,000.
Why it matters
Raises the stakes for public servants. By creating felony offenses tied to the dollar value of benefits improperly obtained, the bill increases legal risks for public officials who abuse their authority, potentially deterring misconduct.
Addresses significant financial misconduct. The new offenses specifically target cases where the value of the benefit exceeds $1,000 or $3,000, focusing enforcement on more serious or impactful violations rather than minor infractions.
Strengthens accountability mechanisms. By elevating certain cases of official misconduct from misdemeanors to felonies (class E and D), the legislation provides prosecutors with stronger tools to pursue and penalize corruption by public officials, which may enhance public trust in government institutions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Crack Down on Corrupt Officials
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
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.
Crack Down on Corrupt Officials
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Todd Kaminsky
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1052
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 14, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, GALEF, SEAWRIGHT, D'URSO, JAFFEE, SIMO- TAS, THIELE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, SCHIMMINGER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to establishing crimes relating to official misconduct for obtaining a benefit
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 195.00 of the penal law, as amended by chapter 906 of the laws of 1990, are amended to read as follows:
1. He or she commits an act relating to his or her office but constituting an unauthorized exercise of his or her official functions, knowing that such act is unauthorized; or
2. He or she knowingly refrains from performing a duty which is imposed upon him or her by law or is clearly inherent in the nature of his or her office.
§ 2. The penal law is amended by adding two new sections 195.03 and 195.04 to read as follows: § 195.03 Official misconduct for obtaining a benefit in the second
degree.
A public servant is guilty of official misconduct for obtaining a benefit in the second degree when he or she commits the crime of official misconduct and he or she thereby intentionally obtains any benefit for himself or herself or for another person or intentionally deprives another person of a benefit, and the value of the benefit exceeds one thousand dollars.
Official misconduct for obtaining a benefit in the second degree is a class E felony. § 195.04 Official misconduct for obtaining a benefit in the first
degree.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03409-01-9
A. 1052 2
A public servant is guilty of official misconduct for obtaining a benefit in the first degree when he or she commits the crime of official misconduct for obtaining a benefit in the second degree, and the value of the benefit exceeds three thousand dollars.
Official misconduct for obtaining a benefit in the first degree is a class D felony.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.