ASSEMBLYMAN LAVINE SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR ETHICS REFORM, RAMPED UP DISCLOSURE

Glen Cove, NY –Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) joined the Assembly Majority in agreeing with the governor on reforms to ethics laws in state government. The deal would increase disclosure requirements for outside income, strip pensions from corrupt officials, clarify and strengthen the ban on the personal use of campaign funds, increase disclosure of independent expenditures and reform the per diem payment system for legislators.

Assemblyman Lavine said the new agreement would increase accountability and transparency while establishing trust between elected officials and their constituencies. “State government functions best when the people are confident that their interests are being represented. The Senate must now join the Assembly Majority and the governor to enact these new ethics reforms.”

Under the agreement, public officials would be required to disclose outside income earned from practicing in a licensed profession. They would be required to report the services they performed to receive the income and whether there is any connection to state government, the office they hold or their public duties.

The agreement would amend the law to allow for prosecution for filing of fraudulent financial disclosure statements with intent to deceive and the Lobbying Law would be expanded to covery lobbying of municipalities that have a population of 5,000 or more. The current law for municipalities is set at populations of 50,000 or more.

The Assembly agreement would apply New York’s pension forfeiture law to all public officials who are convicted of public corruption, including those who entered the retirement system before enactment of the pension forfeiture law in 2011.

In addition, the agreement would enact new measures to clarify the law and strengthen the ban on using campaign funds for personal use and include a list of prohibited uses that are unrelated to a campaign. It would shine light on campaign spending and disclosure of independent expenditures and reform the per diem payment system for legislators by adding a new set of verification requirements.

Article provided by Assemblyman Lavine's Press Office