What's happening
This bill prohibits public officials from having buildings or spaces named after themselves while they hold public office.
Why it matters
Aims to prevent conflicts of interest. by stopping public officials from using their current position and influence to secure personal recognition in the form of building or space names while still in office.
Addresses ethical concerns. regarding the use of public funds and official power for self-promotion, potentially reducing the perception or reality of favoritism and self-dealing in government decisions.
Promotes fairness and integrity. in how public recognition is awarded, ensuring that honors for contributions to public projects are not tied directly to officials who may have used their office for such recognition.
May influence public trust. by reinforcing the idea that public service is not for personal legacy-building while in office, possibly encouraging a focus on merit and community benefit over self-aggrandizement.
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Who cares
Sitting public officials
The bill would bar officials covered by the public officers law from having buildings or spaces named after themselves while in office because they secured public funding.
State legislators
The bill would add the same restriction to the legislative law, covering naming honors tied to public funds secured for a recipient or its cause or agenda.
Organizations receiving public funds
Naming a building or space after a sitting official in recognition of funding that official secured for the organization or its cause would fall within the bill’s prohibition.
Headline styles
Ban Naming Buildings After Officials
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 108
13 Co-sponsors
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 After Officials
In Senate Committee · Investigations And Government Operations · Sponsor Neil D. Breslin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3735
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD, PICHARDO, RAIA, FINCH, GOTTFRIED, STECK, DiPIETRO, STIRPE, GALEF, FAHY, FRIEND, MORINELLO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BUCHWALD, GARBARINO, GLICK, HAWLEY, LAWRENCE -read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law and the legislative law, in relation to the prohibition of naming buildings after public officials
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public officers law is amended by adding a new section 79-a to read as follows:
§ 79-a. Prohibition on the naming of buildings. No person who is subject to the provisions of this chapter shall have a building or space named or cause a building or space to be named after himself or herself while he or she holds public office based on the fact that such person was responsible for securing public funds for the person or entity involved in naming the building or for securing public funds for the person's or entity's cause or agenda.
§ 2. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section 7-h to read as follows:
§ 7-h. Prohibition on the naming of buildings. No person who is subject to the provisions of this chapter shall have a building or space named or cause a building or space to be named after himself or herself while he or she holds public office based on the fact that such person was responsible for securing public funds for the person or entity involved in naming the building or for securing public funds for the person's or entity's cause or agenda.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00707-01-9
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.