The New York State Senate

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

                                  5460

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 27, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of A. GALEF, FINCH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
  CAMARA, GIGLIO, THIELE -- read once and referred to the  Committee  on
  Judiciary

AN  ACT  to amend the judiciary law, in relation to requiring disclosure
  of campaign contributions to judges by parties in an action and  their
  counsel

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

  Section 1. Subdivision 1 of  section  212  of  the  judiciary  law  is
amended by adding a new paragraph (w) to read as follows:
  (W)  ESTABLISH  RULES  AND REGULATIONS REQUIRING THAT IMMEDIATELY UPON
THE ASSIGNMENT OF A  MATTER  TO  A  JUDGE,  PARTIES  AND  THEIR  COUNSEL
DISCLOSE  ANY  CAMPAIGN  CONTRIBUTION MADE TO SUCH JUDGE. SUCH RULES AND
REGULATIONS SHALL PROVIDE THAT IN THE EVENT CONTRIBUTIONS IN  EXCESS  OF
FIVE  HUNDRED  DOLLARS  HAVE  BEEN  MADE  IN  THE PAST FIVE YEARS TO THE
JUDGE'S CAMPAIGN BY A PARTY OR COUNSEL TO THE  PARTY,  THE  JUDGE  SHALL
DISQUALIFY  HIMSELF  OR  HERSELF UPON TIMELY APPLICATION MADE BY A PARTY
WHO HAS MADE NO CONTRIBUTION TO THE CAMPAIGN. SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS
SHALL NOT PRECLUDE DISQUALIFICATION DUE TO ANY OTHER RULE OR  REGULATION
OR  WITH RESPECT TO CONTRIBUTIONS LESS THAN FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS OR MADE
MORE THAN FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE MATTER TO THE JUDGE.
  S 2. The judiciary law is amended by adding a  new  section  487-a  to
read as follows:
  S  487-A.  ATTORNEY  OR  COUNSELOR  DISCLOSURE.  IMMEDIATELY  UPON THE
ASSIGNMENT OF A MATTER TO A JUDGE, THE  ATTORNEY  OR  COUNSELOR  IN  THE
ACTION  SHALL DISCLOSE ANY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION MADE TO SUCH JUDGE WHEN
SUCH CONTRIBUTION WAS IN EXCESS OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND IN THE  PAST
FIVE YEARS.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
ly,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04749-01-3

A. 5460                             2

necessary for the implementation of this act on its  effective  date  is
authorized  and  directed  to  be  made  and completed on or before such
effective date.