What's happening
This bill prohibits individuals appointed to state or local boards or authorities, their relatives, or their companies from making political contributions.
Why it matters
Targets potential conflicts of interest. By banning political contributions from board appointees, their relatives, and their companies, the bill aims to reduce undue influence or the appearance of favoritism in state and local government decisions.
Covers a broad network. The restriction doesn't just apply to the appointed individual, but also to anyone living in their household, direct descendants (and spouses of those descendants), and any business where they or their relatives have a significant stake (over 10%), increasing the reach of the regulation.
Applies retroactively to recent appointments. The bill covers not only current appointees but also anyone who has served on a board or authority in the past two years, potentially affecting political engagement for a wide pool of people.
Could impact political fundraising. By cutting off a source of campaign contributions from individuals and businesses with governmental ties, the bill may alter the funding landscape for state and local candidates and political parties.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Limit Appointee Political Donations
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1934
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 17, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RANZENHOFER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to contribution limits for parties appointed to public positions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 14-115 to read as follows:
§ 14-115. Contribution limits for parties appointed to public positions. 1. For purposes of this section "relative" of any individual shall mean any person living in the same household as the individual and any person who is a direct descendant of that individual's or that individual's spouse's grandparents or the spouse of such descendant.
2. Notwithstanding any other section of law, no person, relative of such person, or company in which such person or his or her relative owns more than a ten percent interest who is, or during the past two years has been, appointed to a position on any state or local board or authority within the state may make a contribution to any state constituted party or committee or any candidate or candidate committee for any office of the state, municipal or other local government.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02224-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to contribution limits for parties appointed to public positions
Purpose
To bar contributions from persons appointed to public boards and author- ities and their families from making political donations.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the Election Law to add a new section 14115. This section provides that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person, relative of such person, as defined in the section, or company in which such person has a ten percent or more interest, who is or has during the past two years been appointed to a position on any state or local board or authority within the state may make any political contribution to any state constituted party or committee or any candi- date or candidate committee for any office of the state, municipal or other local government.
Section 2 Effective date.
Justification
For many years, some persons who have been appointed to public boards or authorities have made substantial political donations both before and after their appointment. Persons appointed to public boards and authori- ties often receive significant payment for serving on these boards and authorities, and often control how and to whom large sums of public money are spent. There are rules requiring disclosure of conflicts of interest, but there remains the perception of possible impropriety when persons appointed to these powerful positions donate, either personally or through their families and businesses, to those who appointed them or who may be affiliated with the appointing persons. The Governor has an executive order that applies only to his office, but it does not hold the same permanence as a law, and does not apply broadly to all boards and authorities and other elected offices.
The simple and clear ban provided for in this bill is an unambiguous rule that all parties can understand and allows all parties to avoid criticism or the appearance of impropriety.
Legislative history
2018 - S.8037 -- ELECTIONS
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act will take effect 180 days after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.