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Home > Senate Passes Ethics Reform Legislation
Senate Passes Ethics Reform

Legislation
By Frank Padavan
Created 01/20/2010 - 8:00pm
Posted by Frank Padavan [1] on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

• Ethics [2]
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New York State Senator Frank Padavan (Queens) announced today that the Senate
has passed ethics reform legislation. The legislation calls for the establishment of an
ethics commission, reestablishes the lobbying commission, greater disclosure of
legislators outside income and enhanced campaign finance laws.
“New Yorkers throughout the state have made it clear they are tired of the way Albany
conducts business,” Padavan said. “We have only taken what should be the first of
many more actions that will end a pay to play culture and make the State Legislature
and state government more accountable and transparent. Its abundantly clear much
more work remains in terms of achieving comprehensive and proactive ethics reform.”
The legislation replaces the current Commission on Public Integrity with a six member
board charged with the ethics oversight of the Executive branch. The legislation also
reinstates the state Lobbying Commission and increases disclosure requirements for
lobbyists. The Joint Legislative Commission on Ethics Standards (JLCES) would
oversee legislative ethics related issues. The JLCES would conduct ethics training for
legislative staff, issue ethics advisory opinions and impose penalties for public officers
law violations.
A second entity, the Legislative Office of Ethics Investigation would oversee
investigations related to ethics violations in the legislative branch. The legislation also
requires better disclosure requirements for legislators outside income, greater
enforcement of campaign finance laws and clarifies various definitions and provisions
under existing ethics and campaign finance laws.
Padavan noted that the income disclosure provisions in the bill lack any requirements for
legislators who are lawyers to list their clients. Padavan criticized the omission by the
Democratic leadership by saying “you shouldn’t have two classes of citizens here. I don’t
think it engenders public confidence.”
During the debate, Padavan introduced an amendment that would have strengthened
the legislation under consideration by the Senate. Padavan’s amendment is identical to
his legislation, S.3254, which calls for the establishment of reasonable disclosure
requirements for all campaign consultants including those who also engage in lobbying
state officials. Under the amendment, campaign consultants must register with the
Ethics Commission and list employees, clients and fees for services. Currently, the City
of New York, the City of San Francisco and the State of Texas have similar transparency
measures in effect.
“The amendment I advanced would go a long way in providing much needed

transparency and accountability at a point where the political, lobbying and legislative
process intersect,” Padavan said. “This amendment and my legislation will break the
practice of influence peddling by just requiring simple disclosure requirements for
anyone who both practices in political consulting and lobbying.”
“ Such a provision included in any ethics reform package would not only strengthen
ethics laws it would allow New Yorkers to make more informed decisions while
protecting the public confidence in the electoral and legislative process. Blocking the
inclusion of this amendment was a missed opportunity for the Senate Democrats to
bolster their own ethics reform legislation.”
Padavan’s amendment was one in a series of amendments aimed at strengthening the

ethics reform bill, providing more balance, equity and rid the ethics and campaign
finance enforcement process from any politics. Each amendment was rejected by
Senate Democrats.
“Stronger, more comprehensive reform initiatives must be a priority throughout the rest
of the legislative session,” Padavan said. “I hope that the Senate Democrats will work
with my colleagues and I in bringing about more reforms in an open process in order to
end a culture of dysfunction and rancor in Albany. “
Senator:
Frank Padavan [1]
District:
District 11 [3]
Authored by Senator
Thu, 01/28/2010
Feature image:
(01-20-10) 500-11 0173.JPG [4]

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Published on New York State Senate (http://www.nysenate.

Home > Senate Passes Ethics Reform Legislation

Senate Passes Ethics Reform

Posted by Frank Padavan [1] on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

“The amendment I advanced would go a long way in providing much needed

Padavan’s amendment was one in a series of amendments aimed at strengthening the

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