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A3824Assembly2019-2020 SessionSame asS1007

Require Online Financial Disclosures

Official title

“Requires legislators and candidates for member of the legislature to provide a link to their financial disclosure statements on their official state and campaign websites”

Sponsor John T. McDonald IIIAD-108+7 co-sponsors
Status
In Assembly Committee
Governmental Operations
Impact
4/10
Low
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Governmental Operations

What's happening

This bill requires New York legislators and legislative candidates to post a link to their financial disclosure statements on their official and campaign websites and mandates electronic, searchable filings.

Why it matters

  1. Enhances transparency and public oversight. By requiring legislators and candidates to post a prominent link to their financial disclosure statements on their official and campaign websites, the bill makes it significantly easier for the public and media to access and review potential conflicts of interest.

  2. Improves accessibility and data usability. Mandating that disclosure forms be filed electronically in formats that are readable, searchable, and downloadable ensures that information is not only available, but also usable for analysis, watchdog groups, and journalists—moving away from hard-to-search paper documents or static PDFs.

  3. Modernizes ethics compliance. By instructing the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to provide an editable electronic version of the disclosure form, the legislation pushes state ethics processes into the digital era, streamlining compliance for officials and reducing administrative burdens.

  4. Potential for increased accountability. The visibility and accessibility of financial disclosures can deter unethical behavior, as greater public scrutiny may make legislators and candidates more cautious about entering into financial arrangements that could appear improper or present real conflicts of interest.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Require Online Financial Disclosures

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
John T. McDonald III

Assembly Member · Assembly District 108

Chair, Governmental Operations

2 Multi-sponsors

History

  1. Referred to governmental operations
  2. 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.

S1007Senate

Post Legislator Finances Online

In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Neil D. Breslin

Impact 4 · Low0% to pass

Full text

20 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

3824

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

January 31, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD, MOSLEY, D'URSO, WALSH, LAWRENCE, ASHBY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations

AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to requiring legislators and candidates for member of the legislature to provide a link to their financial disclosure statements on their official state and campaign websites

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. The opening paragraph of paragraph (k) of subdivision 2 of section 73-a of the public officers law is designated subparagraph (i) and two new subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) are added to read as follows:

(ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all members of the legislature who maintain any state website for service in their official capacity shall establish a clearly visible link entitled "MY FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS" on the front page of their website which shall direct website visitors to current and past financial disclosure forms that the legislator has submitted to the joint commission on public ethics.

(iii) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, every candidate for member of the legislature who maintains any website for service in their official campaign capacity shall establish a clearly visible link entitled "MY FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS" on the front page of their campaign website which shall direct visitors to current and past financial disclosure forms that the candidate has submitted to the joint commission on public ethics, in accordance with paragraph (a) of this subdivision.

§ 2. The opening paragraph of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 73-a of the public officers law, as amended by section 5 of part A of chapter 399 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD00499-01-9

A. 3824 2

Every statewide elected official, state officer or employee, member of the legislature, legislative employee and political party chairman and every candidate for statewide elected office or for member of the legislature shall file an annual statement of financial disclosure containing the information and in the form set forth in subdivision three of this section. Every member of the legislature and candidate for member of the legislature must file their annual statement of financial disclosure electronically in an electronic, readable, searchable and downloadable format. On or before the fifteenth day of May with respect to the preceding calendar year: (1) every member of the legislature, every candidate for member of the legislature and legislative employee shall file such statement with the legislative ethics commission which shall provide such statement along with any requests for exemptions or deletions to the joint commission on public ethics for filing and rulings with respect to such requests for exemptions or deletions, on or before the thirtieth day of June; and (2) all other individuals required to file such statement shall file it with the joint commission on public ethics, except that:

§ 3. Subdivision 3 of section 73-a of the public officers law, as amended by section 5 of part A of chapter 399 of the laws of 2011, paragraph 8 as amended by section 6 of part K of chapter 286 of the laws of 2016 and paragraph 13 as amended by section 1 of part CC of chapter 56 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:

3. (a) The annual statement of financial disclosure shall contain the information and shall be in the form set forth hereinbelow:

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE - (For calendar year ________)

1. Name ______________________________________________________________

2. (a) Title of Position _____________________________________________

(b) Department, Agency or other Governmental Entity _______________

(c) Address of Present Office _____________________________________

(d) Office Telephone Number _______________________________________

3. (a) Marital Status ______________. If married, please give spouse's

full name including maiden name where applicable.

_____________________________________________________________ .

(b) List the names of all unemancipated children.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Answer each of the following questions completely, with respect to

calendar year _________, unless another period or date is otherwise

specified. If additional space is needed, attach additional pages.

Whenever a "value" or "amount" is required to be reported herein, such value or amount shall be reported as being within one of the following Categories in Table I or Table II of this subdivision as called for in the question: A reporting individual shall indicate the Category by letter only.

A. 3824 3

Whenever "income" is required to be reported herein, the term "income" shall mean the aggregate net income before taxes from the source identified.

The term "calendar year" shall mean the year ending the December 31st preceding the date of filing of the annual statement.

4. (a) List any office, trusteeship, directorship, partnership, or

position of any nature, whether compensated or not, held by the

reporting individual with any firm, corporation, association, part-

nership, or other organization other than the State of New York.

Include compensated honorary positions; do NOT list membership or

uncompensated honorary positions. If the listed entity was licensed

by any state or local agency, was regulated by any state regulatory

agency or local agency, or, as a regular and significant part of the

business or activity of said entity, did business with, or had

matters other than ministerial matters before, any state or local

agency, list the name of any such agency.

State or

Position Organization Local Agency

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

(b) List any office, trusteeship, directorship, partnership, or position

of any nature, whether compensated or not, held by the spouse or

unemancipated child of the reporting individual, with any firm,

corporation, association, partnership, or other organization other

than the State of New York. Include compensated honorary positions;

do NOT list membership or uncompensated honorary positions. If the

listed entity was licensed by any state or local agency, was regu-

lated by any state regulatory agency or local agency, or, as a regu-

lar and significant part of the business or activity of said entity,

did business with, or had matters other than ministerial matters

before, any state or local agency, list the name of any such agency.

State or

Position Organization Local Agency

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

5. (a) List the name, address and description of any occupation,

employment (other than the employment listed under Item 2 above),

trade, business or profession engaged in by the reporting individ-

ual. If such activity was licensed by any state or local agency, was

regulated by any state regulatory agency or local agency, or, as a

regular and significant part of the business or activity of said

entity, did business with, or had matters other than ministerial

A. 3824 4

matters before, any state or local agency, list the name of any such

agency.

State or

Name & Address Local

Position of Organization Description Agency

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

(b) If the spouse or unemancipated child of the reporting individual was

engaged in any occupation, employment, trade, business or profession

which activity was licensed by any state or local agency, was regu-

lated by any state regulatory agency or local agency, or, as a regu-

lar and significant part of the business or activity of said entity,

did business with, or had matters other than ministerial matters

before, any state or local agency, list the name, address and

description of such occupation, employment, trade, business or

profession and the name of any such agency.

State or

Name & Address Local

Position of Organization Description Agency

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

6. List any interest, in EXCESS of $1,000, held by the reporting indi-

vidual, such individual's spouse or unemancipated child, or partner-

ship of which any such person is a member, or corporation, 10% or

more of the stock of which is owned or controlled by any such

person, whether vested or contingent, in any contract made or

executed by a state or local agency and include the name of the

entity which holds such interest and the relationship of the report-

ing individual or such individual's spouse or such child to such

entity and the interest in such contract. Do NOT include bonds and

notes. Do NOT list any interest in any such contract on which final

payment has been made and all obligations under the contract except

for guarantees and warranties have been performed, provided, howev-

er, that such an interest must be listed if there has been an ongo-

ing dispute during the calendar year for which this statement is

filed with respect to any such guarantees or warranties. Do NOT list

any interest in a contract made or executed by a local agency after

public notice and pursuant to a process for competitive bidding or a

process for competitive requests for proposals.

Entity Relationship Contracting Category

Self, Which Held to Entity State or of

Spouse or Interest in and Interest Local Value of

Child Contract in Contract Agency Contract

A. 3824 5

(In Table II)

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

7. List any position the reporting individual held as an officer of any

political party or political organization, as a member of any poli-

tical party committee, or as a political party district leader. The

term "party" shall have the same meaning as "party" in the election

law. The term "political organization" means any party or independ-

ent body as defined in the election law or any organization that is

affiliated with or a subsidiary of a party or independent body.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

8. (a) If the reporting individual practices law, is licensed by the department of state as a real estate broker or agent or practices a profession licensed by the department of education, or works as a member or employee of a firm required to register pursuant to section one-e of the legislative law as a lobbyist, describe the services rendered for which compensation was paid including a general description of the principal subject areas of matters undertaken by such individual and principal duties performed. Specifically state whether the reporting individual provides services directly to clients. Additionally, if such an individual practices with a firm or corporation and is a partner or shareholder of the firm or corporation, give a general description of principal subject areas of matters undertaken by such firm or corporation.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

(b) APPLICABLE ONLY TO NEW CLIENTS OR CUSTOMERS FOR WHOM SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE AND BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN, OR FOR NEW MATTERS FOR EXISTING CLIENTS OR CUSTOMERS WITH RESPECT TO THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE AND BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN:

If the reporting individual personally provides services to any person or entity, or works as a member or employee of a partnership or corporation that provides such services (referred to hereinafter as a "firm"), then identify each client or customer to whom the reporting individual personally provided services, or who was referred to the firm by the reporting individual, and from whom the reporting individual or

A. 3824 6

his or her firm earned fees in excess of $10,000 during the reporting period for such services rendered in direct connection with:

(i) A contract in an amount totaling $50,000 or more from the state or any state agency for services, materials, or property;

(ii) A grant of $25,000 or more from the state or any state agency during the reporting period;

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.