What's happening
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring all branches and subdivisions of New York government to adopt and enforce codes of ethics, including financial disclosure and ethics commissions.
Why it matters
Expands ethics oversight beyond the state level. by requiring not just state government but also every political subdivision (such as counties, cities, towns, and villages) to adopt and enforce their own codes of ethics, impacting a wide range of public officials and employees.
Mandates independent ethics commissions for each branch and subdivision. , with specific requirements to ensure commissioners are chosen for their independence and impartiality, potentially reducing internal political influence over ethics enforcement.
Broadens the scope of financial disclosure and conflict of interest rules. , requiring public disclosure for elected officials, candidates, and certain appointees, while demanding confidential disclosures from other powerful decision-makers; this could deter corruption and expose potential conflicts across all levels of government.
Standardizes key ethical provisions statewide. such as rules on gifts, confidential information, lobbying, post-employment restrictions, and government contracts—potentially raising the baseline for government transparency and accountability throughout New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Ethics Codes Statewide
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to governmental operations
- Opinion referred to judiciary
- To attorney-general for opinion
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2126
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to article 13 of the constitution, in relation to codes of ethics
Section 1. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That article 13 of the constitution be amended by adding a new section 15 to read as follows:
§ 15. A public office is a public trust. The people shall have the right to secure and sustain that trust against abuse. Public officers and employees must exhibit the highest standards of ethical conduct and demonstrate the personal integrity of each individual in government. To keep faith with this belief, each branch of state government and each political subdivision of the state shall adopt a code of ethics which shall apply to appointed and elected officers and employees of the state who have influence over policy or the political subdivision, as the case may be, including members of the boards, commissions and other bodies.
Each code of ethics shall be administered by a separate ethics commission. Ethics commissioners shall be selected in a manner which assures their independence and impartiality.
Each code of ethics shall include, but not be limited to, provisions on gifts, confidential information, use of position, contracts with government agencies, post-employment, financial disclosure, conflict of interest and lobbyist registration and restriction. The financial disclosure provisions shall require all elected officers, all candidates for elective office and such appointed officers and employees as may be provided by law to make public financial disclosures. Other public officials having significant discretionary or fiscal powers, as provided by law, shall make confidential financial disclosures. All financial disclosure statements shall include, but not be limited to, sources and amounts of income, business ownership, officer and director positions, ownership of real property, debts, creditor interests in insolvent businesses and the names of persons represented before government agencies.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89045-01-9
A. 2126 2
§ 2. Resolved (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing amendment be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.
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.