What's happening
This bill prohibits fundraising events subject to election law reporting within 15 miles of the New York State Capitol while the legislature is in session.
Why it matters
Targets Albany’s “pay-to-play” culture. By banning fundraising events near the Capitol during session, the bill aims to reduce the perception or reality that lawmakers are directly soliciting campaign money from lobbyists or interest groups while actively legislating.
Expands criminal and civil penalties. Violations—including holding or attending prohibited fundraising events—can result in misdemeanor or felony charges, significant civil fines (up to $25,000 or three times the amount involved), and potential one-year bans on lobbying activities for repeat offenders.
Applies to all subject-to-disclosure fundraising. The bill covers any event where funds are solicited and must be reported under state election law, ensuring broad application regardless of the political office or candidate involved.
Closes loopholes and strengthens enforcement. By amending both legislative and election laws to cross-reference this new restriction, the bill makes enforcement easier and ensures multiple regulatory pathways for holding violators accountable.
Albany, before your first meeting.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Fundraisers During Session
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
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 Fundraisers During Session
In Senate Committee · Ethics And Internal Governance · Sponsor Jen Metzger
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5950
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 20, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GALEF, PAULIN, ORTIZ, FRIEND -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the legislative law and the election law, in relation to prohibiting certain functions whenever the legislature is in session
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section 1-m-1 to read as follows:
§ 1-m-1. Certain functions prohibited within a fifteen mile radius of the New York state Capitol. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no person or entity shall hold, participate in, or attend a function designed to solicit funds that are subject to the reporting requirements of article fourteen of the election law within a fifteen mile radius of the New York state Capitol whenever the legislature is in session.
§ 2. Subdivision (a) and paragraphs (i) and (iv) of subdivision (b) of section 1-o of the legislative law, as added by chapter 14 of the laws of 2007, are amended to read as follows:
(a) (i) Any lobbyist, public corporation, or client who knowingly and wilfully fails to file timely a report or statement required by this section or knowingly and wilfully files false information or knowingly and wilfully violates section one-m or one-m-one of this article shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor; and
(ii) any lobbyist, public corporation, or client who knowingly and wilfully fails to file timely a report or statement required by this section or knowingly and wilfully files false information or knowingly and wilfully violates section one-m or one-m-one of this article, after having previously been convicted in the preceding five years of the crime described in paragraph (i) of this subdivision, shall be guilty of a class E felony. Any lobbyist convicted of or pleading guilty to a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09414-04-9
A. 5950 2
felony under the provisions of this section may be barred from acting as a lobbyist for a period of one year from the date of the conviction. For the purposes of this subdivision, the chief administrative officer of any organization required to file a statement or report shall be the person responsible for making and filing such statement or report unless some other person prior to the due date thereof has been duly designated to make and file such statement or report.
(i) A lobbyist, public corporation, or client who knowingly and wilfully fails to file a statement or report within the time required for the filing of such report or knowingly and wilfully violates section one-m or one-m-one of this article shall be subject to a civil penalty for each such failure or violation, in an amount not to exceed the greater of twenty-five thousand dollars or three times the amount the person failed to report properly or unlawfully contributed, expended, gave or received, to be assessed by the commission.
(iv) Any lobbyist or client that knowingly and wilfully fails to file a statement or report within the time required for the filing of such report, knowingly and wilfully files a false statement or report, or knowingly and wilfully violates section one-m or one-m-one of this article, after having been found by the commission to have [knowing] knowingly and wilfully committed such conduct or violation in the preceding five years, may be subject to a determination that the lobbyist or client is prohibited from engaging in lobbying activities, as that term is defined in paragraph (v) of subdivision (c) of section one-c of this article, for a period of one year.
§ 3. Subdivision 4 of section 14-126 of the election law, as amended by section 6 of subpart C of part H of chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
4. Any person who knowingly and willfully fails to file a statement required to be filed by this article within ten days after the date provided for filing such statement or any person who knowingly and willfully violates any other provision of this article or who knowingly and willfully violates the provisions of section one-m-one of the legislative law shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.