“It is of the utmost importance that we strengthen New York State’s ethics laws and limit the influence of special interest money in state government,” Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza stated.

 The Assembly passed a landmark package of ethics reform legislation that will curtail gifts from lobbyists to legislators and create a comprehensive watchdog agency to ensure the integrity of state government.

“The passage of these reforms closes loopholes, reduces the influence of lobbyists and helps to restore public confidence in state government,” the Assemblywoman declared.

Specifically the legislative package would:

 ·        Ban virtually all gifts of more than nominal value from registered lobbyists to public officials;

·        Strictly limit lobbyists from paying or reimbursing travel and accommodation expenses of a public official;

·        Prohibit legislative employees from lobbying the Legislature for two years after their employ;

·        Prohibit public employees from being paid for speeches;

·        Prohibit elected officials and candidates for elected local, state or federal office from appearing in tax-payer-funded advertisements;

·        Prohibit gifts from the spouses or children of lobbyists to the spouses or children of public officials

·        Require lobbyists to list their actions seeking grants on their lobbying reports.

The legislation also creates a permanent watchdog on ethics issues by merging the Temporary State Commission on Lobbying and the State Ethics Commission into a new entity, the Commission on Public Integrity.

“Having a permanent, wide-ranging ethics watchdog will help ensure better compliance with the state’s lobbying and ethics laws,” Assemblywoman Carrozza continued.

In addition, the measure increases penalties for violations up to $25,000 or three times the amount the lobbyists failed to report or up to $50,000 or five times any amount that was falsely reported. A second offense within five years of a previous violation could trigger a one-year debarment.

“The new era of reform in Albany continues,” Assemblywoman Carrozza stated, “and I’ll keep pushing for more ways to make state government more open, efficient and accountable,” she concluded.