Senate Bill S19

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    19
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 4, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. HOYLMAN, SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to  requiring  the  joint
   commission on public ethics to develop and maintain an ethics training
   course  for  members  and  staff  of the legislature; and to amend the
   legislative law, in relation to requiring all members of the  legisla-
   ture  to successfully complete the ethics training course on an annual
   basis
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraph  (m)  and subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (n) of
 subdivision 9 of section 94 of  the  executive  law,  paragraph  (m)  as
 amended  and subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (n) as added by section 6 of
 part A of chapter 399 of the laws of 2011 are amended and  a  new  para-
 graph (o) is added to read as follows:
   (m)  Determine  a  question  common  to a class or defined category of
 persons or items of information required to be disclosed, where determi-
 nation of the question will prevent undue  repetition  of  requests  for
 exemption  or  deletion  or prevent undue complication in complying with
 the requirements of such section; [and]
   (iv) if thereafter sufficient cause exists, the commission shall  take
 additional actions, as appropriate and consistent with law[.]; AND
   (O)  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL  DEVELOP  AND  MAINTAIN AN ETHICS TRAINING
 COURSE FOR MEMBERS AND STAFF OF THE LEGISLATURE. SUCH  COURSE  SHALL  BE
 DESIGNED  TO  HELP  LEGISLATORS AND STAFF IN UNDERSTANDING AND COMPLYING
 WITH CURRENT ETHICAL AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REQUIREMENTS UNDER STATE  LAW,
 LEGISLATIVE  RULES  AND FEDERAL LAW. THE COURSE WHICH SHALL BE AVAILABLE
 TO MEMBERS AND STAFF OF THE LEGISLATURE AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE
 INTERNET, SHALL INCLUDE TRAINING MATERIALS AND EXERCISES TO BE COMPLETED
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05678-01-7

 S. 19                               2
 
 AS PART OF THE COURSE AND SHALL INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR VERIFYING WHEN  A
 LEGISLATOR HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED KEY TRAINING EXERCISES.
   §  2.  Article  5  of  the  legislative law is amended by adding a new
 section 81 to read as follows:
   § 81. ETHICS TRAINING COURSE. 1. EACH MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE SHALL:
   A. ANNUALLY COMPLETE THE ETHICS TRAINING COURSE DEVELOPED BY THE JOINT
 COMMISSION ON PUBLIC ETHICS PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPH  (O)  OF  SUBDIVISION
 NINE OF SECTION NINETY-FOUR OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW;
   B. SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE KEY TRAINING EXERCISES OF THE COURSE; AND
   C.  VERIFY  THE  COMPLETION ON HIS OR HER ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL
 DISCLOSURE FORM.
   2. NEWLY ELECTED LEGISLATORS SHALL COMPLETE THE ETHICS TRAINING COURSE
 WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF BEING SWORN INTO OFFICE.
   3. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION  SHALL  BE  A
 CLASS  A  MISDEMEANOR AND SHALL BE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF FIVE THOUSAND
 DOLLARS.
   § 3. If any part or provision of this act is adjudged by  a  court  of
 competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, such
 judgment  shall not affect or impair any other part or provision of this
 act, but shall be confined in its operation to such part or provision.
   § 4. This act shall take effect January 1, 2018.