What's happening
This bill prohibits governor-appointed individuals and their households from contributing to the governor's campaign and imposes penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Aims to prevent conflicts of interest by barring governor appointees—and anyone in their household—from contributing to the governor’s campaign both before, during, and after their term, potentially increasing public trust in appointments.
Requires appointees to disclose and trigger refunds for any campaign contributions made to the governor in the year before their appointment, making the appointment process more transparent and accountable.
Imposes significant civil penalties (up to $10,000 or double the illegal contribution) for violations, and mandates refunds of improper contributions, adding strong financial deterrents against circumvention.
Broadly prohibits appointees from soliciting campaign contributions for the governor, closing loopholes where indirect pressure or requests could otherwise occur, thus aiming to reduce ‘pay-to-play’ dynamics in state government.
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
Ban Appointee Campaign Donations
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
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 Appointee Campaign Donations
In Assembly Committee · Election Law · Sponsor Thomas Abinanti
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3956
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 21, 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 contributions by executive appointees
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 14-131 to read as follows:
§ 14-131. Contributions by executive appointees. 1. (a) No individual appointed by the governor, including but not limited to appointees to any commission, board, council, panel, or public authority, shall make a monetary contribution to the campaign of such governor or to any political campaign committee organized by or for the specific benefit of such governor.
(b) Such prohibition shall apply to any contributions occurring one year prior to, during the term of, and one year following the term of his or her appointment.
(c) Such prohibition shall also apply to anyone residing in the appointee's household including, but not limited to, a spouse, domestic partner, or child.
2. Before an individual is appointed by the governor, the appointee shall identify any contributions made to such governor within the twelve-month period immediately prior to the date of appointment, and such governor shall refund the entire amount of any such contribution.
3. No appointee shall request or demand that any other person make or offer to make any monetary contribution to the campaign of such governor or to any political campaign committee organized by or for the specific benefit of such governor.
4. Such prohibition shall apply regardless of the method of removing such appointee from office, or regardless of any requirement on the appointee to file a statement of financial disclosure.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02258-01-9
S. 3956 2
§ 2. Section 14-126 of the election law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. (a) Any person who, under circumstances evincing an intent to violate such law, makes or receives a contribution in contravention of section 14-131 of this article shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed the greater of ten thousand dollars or an amount equal to two hundred percent of the contribution.
(b) Any person who, acting as or on behalf of an officeholder, candidate, or political committee, accepts a contribution or receives a transfer in contravention of section 14-131 of this article shall be required to refund such contribution.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
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 contributions by execu- tive appointees
Purpose
This bill would prohibit appointees who are appointed by the Executive to make political contributions to the Executive or his or her political campaign to avoid the appearance of impropriety between the Executive and his or her appointees.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill would create a new Election Law § 14-131 to prohibit Executive appointees from making political contributions within a year of appointment, during their term, and for a year after the term ends. It also prohibits the appointee from soliciting contributions on behalf of the Executive or the Executive's campaign committee. This prohibition also applies to members in the appointee's household.
Section 2 of the bill contains the effective date.
Justification
A February 2018 New York Times article profiled a current trend whereby Executive appointees have made political contributions to the Executive totaling nearly $900,000. An atmosphere where appointees operate under the practice of making routine political contributions to the individual appointing them to their positions fosters skepticism and distrust of the political process in Albany, and leads hardworking citizens to believe that Albany in rife with a "pay-to-play" culture. This bill seeks to restore New York's collective trust in the Executive appoint- ment process by disconnecting political contributions and the Execu- tive's appointees, which can show New Yorkers that they can trust in the Executive's appointment process.
Legislative history
2018 - S.8404/A.10850 - PASSED SENATE/Election Law
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This bill would take effect 180 days after it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.