What's happening
This bill requires meetings of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to be open to the public and allows remote participation by commissioners, with votes recorded.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and accountability. by requiring all meetings and proceedings of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to be open to the public, eliminating prior loopholes that allowed for closed or secret sessions.
Modernizes participation. by explicitly allowing commissioners to attend and vote remotely, making it easier for members to participate and potentially improving attendance and decision-making efficiency.
Ensures public recordkeeping. by mandating that the commission keeps a public record of how each commissioner votes on every proceeding, making it possible for the public and press to track individual accountability and positions on key ethics issues.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Open Ethics Meetings Required
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
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.
Open Ethics Meetings Required
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3371
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 6, 2019
Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to meetings and proceedings of the joint commission on public ethics
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 19 of section 94 of the executive law, as amended by section 6 of part A of chapter 399 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
(b) [Notwithstanding the provisions of article seven of the public officers law, no meeting or proceeding, including any such proceeding contemplated under paragraph (h) or (i) of subdivision nine of this section,] Meetings and proceedings of the commission shall be open to the public[, except if expressly provided otherwise by the commission or as is required by article one-A of the legislative law] pursuant to article seven of the public officers law. Notwithstanding the provisions of article seven of the public officers law, commissioners may participate in a meeting or proceeding of the commission, including voting, from a location not open to the general public to conduct the business of the commission, so long as one of the locations from which the meeting or proceeding is being conducted complies with the provisions of article seven of the public officers law. Such participation shall count towards quorum. Furthermore, the commission shall maintain a record of the final vote of each member in every proceeding of the commission in which the member votes.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03716-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to meetings and proceedings of the joint commission on public ethics
Purpose or general idea of bill
To require the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to comply with the requirements of the Open Meetings Law.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one provides that meetings and proceedings of the Commission shall be open to the public pursuant to the Open Meetings Law.
Section two provides the effective date.
Justification
Under current law, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) is exempt from the Open Meetings Law. Unlike other government entities, JCOPE proceedings take place in secret, and as of now, details related to their proceedings cannot be made public.
In November of 2015, the Albany Times-Union released an editorial high- lighting the flaws of the state's ethics commission. It was noted that JCOPE is "too secretive and too susceptible to conflicts of interests," and has the power to stymie investigations all while functioning with the protection of exemption from the Open Meetings Law.
This lack of transparency and accountability has led to the public's great mistrust of the legislature. In its annual report to the Governor and State Legislature, the Committee on Open Government endorsed this proposed legislation as a way to address this issue, and increase the accountability of JCOPE to the public. Bringing JCOPE under the purview of the Open Meetings Law will help to restore the public's confidence in the integrity of the legislative system.
Prior legislative history
2018: S.5143 - Third Reading Operations Calendar / A.1756 - Referred to Governmental 2017: S.5143 - Passed Senate 2016: S.6888-A - Referred to Operations/ A.1756 - Referred Finance / A.10289 - to Governmental Operations Referred to Governmental
Fiscal implications
No fiscal impact to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.