S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6973

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 2, 2010
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens. LIBOUS, O. JOHNSON, LARKIN, LITTLE, MAZIARZ, McDO-
  NALD, RANZENHOFER, SALAND, SEWARD, VOLKER -- 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  directing  the  state
  board  of  elections  to  contract with a certified public accountancy
  firm for the audit and review of the campaign  receipts  and  expendi-
  tures  of  three  percent  of the candidates for election to the state
  legislature

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.   Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "clean campaign finance act".
  S 2.  The election law is amended by adding a  new  section  3-112  to
read as follows:
  S  3-112.  REVIEW  AND  AUDIT  OF  COMPLIANCE WITH ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF
CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE. 1. ON  OR  BEFORE  THE
FIRST  OF  DECEMBER  OF  EACH  EVEN  NUMBERED  YEAR,  THE STATE BOARD OF
ELECTIONS SHALL CONTRACT WITH A CERTIFIED  PUBLIC  ACCOUNTANCY  FIRM  TO
CONDUCT  A  REVIEW  AND  AUDIT OF CERTAIN CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE
STATE LEGISLATURE. SUCH CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED TO THE LOWEST  RESPON-
SIBLE  BIDDER WHICH MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH BOARD'S SOLICITA-
TION FOR BIDS; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, NO CERTIFIED PUBLIC  ACCOUNTANCY  FIRM
SHALL  BE AWARDED SUCH CONTRACT IF IT HAS BEEN AWARDED A CONTRACT PURSU-
ANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION IN THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS.
  2. ON OR BEFORE THE TENTH DAY OF JANUARY OF EACH  ODD  NUMBERED  YEAR,
THE  STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL SELECT BY LOTTERY, AT A PUBLIC DRAW-
ING, NOT LESS THAN THREE PERCENT  OF  ALL  THE  CANDIDATES  WHOSE  NAMES
APPEARED  ON  THE  BALLOT  FOR  ELECTION TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE AT THE
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING GENERAL ELECTION.
  3. THE CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY FIRM SHALL REVIEW  AND  AUDIT  ALL
STATEMENTS  FILED  PURSUANT TO ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF THIS CHAPTER BY THOSE
CANDIDATES SELECTED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO  OF  THIS  SECTION,  AND
THOSE OF ANY COMMITTEES AUTHORIZED AND CREATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD15651-02-0

S. 6973                             2

INFLUENCING  THE GENERAL ELECTION ON BEHALF OF SUCH CANDIDATES. IN ADDI-
TION, THE FIRM, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, SHALL REVIEW EACH SUCH CANDI-
DATE'S AND COMMITTEE'S COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  CHAPTER
DURING  THE  COURSE  OF  HIS  OR  HER CAMPAIGN FOR ELECTION TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE.
  4. THE CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY FIRM SHALL CONDUCT ITS REVIEW  AND
AUDIT OF CANDIDATES IN ACCORD WITH SOUND ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
  5.  ON  OR BEFORE THE FIRST OF JUNE DURING EACH ODD NUMBERED YEAR, THE
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY FIRM SHALL SUBMIT, TO THE  STATE  BOARD  OF
ELECTIONS,  A  REPORT ON THE REVIEW AND AUDIT RELATING TO EACH CANDIDATE
SELECTED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.