What's happening
This bill requires legislators, their treasurers, and all candidates to complete annual campaign finance training, with penalties for noncompliance.
Why it matters
Increases Accountability and Transparency. By requiring annual campaign finance training for legislators, their treasurers, and all candidates, the law aims to reduce unintentional violations and promote a culture of compliance with campaign finance rules, which can strengthen public trust in government.
Broadens Compliance to All Candidates. The inclusion of “all individuals running for elected office” means that not only sitting legislators but also first-time candidates and their campaign staff must understand and follow complex finance rules, potentially leveling the playing field and reducing inadvertent missteps.
Creates Enforceable Penalties. The law introduces specific fines for noncompliance and additional penalties if the requirement is not met within 90 days, which adds real consequences and deterrents for ignoring campaign finance education, encouraging timely compliance.
Improves Accessibility and Verification. The training must be available both in-person and online, with mechanisms for verifying completion, making it easier for busy or geographically dispersed individuals to comply and for authorities to track who has met the requirement.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Require Campaign Finance Training
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to ethics and internal governance
- Referred to ethics and internal governance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1993
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 18, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Ethics and Internal Governance
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the joint commission on public ethics to develop and maintain a campaign finance training course; and to amend the legislative law, in relation to requiring all members of the legislature, their staff treasurer and all individuals running for elected office to complete the campaign finance training course
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (m) and subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (n) of subdivision 9 of section 94 of the executive law, paragraph (m) as amended and subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (n) as added by section 6 of part A of chapter 399 of the laws of 2011, are amended and a new paragraph (o) is added to read as follows:
(m) Determine a question common to a class or defined category of persons or items of information required to be disclosed, where determination of the question will prevent undue repetition of requests for exemption or deletion or prevent undue complication in complying with the requirements of such section; [and]
(iv) if thereafter sufficient cause exists, the commission shall take additional actions, as appropriate and consistent with law[.]; and
(o) The commission shall develop and maintain a campaign finance training course for members of the legislature, their staff treasurers and members of the general public running for elected office. Such course shall be designed to help individuals in understanding and complying with current campaign finance requirements under state law, legislative rules and federal law. The course shall be available in person and on the internet and shall include provisions for verifying when an individual has successfully completed the course.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06340-01-9
S. 1993 2
§ 2. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section 81 to read as follows:
§ 81. Campaign finance training course. 1. Each member of the legislature, their staff treasurer and any member of the general public who is running for elected office shall annually complete the campaign finance training course developed by the joint commission on public ethics pursuant to paragraph (o) of subdivision nine of section ninety-four of the executive law.
2. Legislators and staff treasurers shall verify the completion on his or her annual legislative financial disclosure form. Members of the general public running for elected office shall verify the completion on his or her required campaign finance forms.
3. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be punishable by a fine of three hundred dollars. If failure is not remedied within ninety days then there will be an additional three hundred dollar fine imposed.
§ 3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2020.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the joint commission on public ethics to develop and maintain a campaign finance training course; and to amend the legislative law, in relation to requiring all members of the legislature, their staff treasurer and all individuals running for elected office to complete the campaign finance training course
Purpose
To ensure legislators, staff and candidates know their duties and obli- gations with regard to campaign finance.
Summary of provisions
The commission shall develop and maintain a campaign finance training course for members of the legislature, their staff treasurers and members of a general public running for elected office. Such course shall be designed to help individuals in understanding and complying with current campaign finance requirements under state law, legislative rules and federal law. The course shall be available in person and on the Internet and shall include provisions for verifying when an individ- ual has successfully completed the course.
Existing law
These requirements are not currently in place for state legislators, staff and candidates.
Justification
It is important to take steps to restore the public's trust in our government. Ensuring adequate training in campaign finance will elimi- nate excuses and promote compliance with rules and regulations.
Legislative history
01/06/16 Referred to Finance 01/15/16 Amend and Recommit to Finance 01/15/16 Print Number 3773A 02/17/15 Referred to Finance
Fiscal implications
None
Local fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect January 1, 2018.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.