Senate Bill S4964

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S4964

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the public officers law, in relation
to requiring elected officials to post certain information regarding
contributions on his or her websites

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

Strengthens the provisions regarding the posting of contributions
received by certain elected officials. Criminal sanction impact.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1. Amends the Public Officers Law by adding a new section
61-a. Requires the Governor, the Comptroller, the Attorney General and
any member of the Senate or Assembly to post on the homepage of his or
her websites a direct link to the Board of Elections website to such
elected official's campaign contributions. Requires all contributions
over two-hundred and fifty dollars to be posted on the homepage of
such elected officials websites within thirty days of receipt.
Specifies that the exact dollar amount of the contribution and the
identity of the donor shall be provided. Prohibits New York State
employees from posting such information on the campaign websites of
any elected official while performing their duties as a state
employee. Establishes a Class E Felony for willful violations of this
section
              

Section 2. Effective Date

 EXISTING LAW :

None

 JUSTIFICATION :

The provisions of this legislation will require that the Governor,
Comptroller, the Attorney General and any member of the Senate or
Assembly post on the homepage of his or her websites, a direct link to
the Board of Elections website to his or her campaign contributions.
Likewise, all contributions valued over two-hundred and fifty dollars
will also be required to be posted on the homepage of the official's
web sites within thirty days of receipt of the contribution. The
specific dollar amount and the identity of the donor will also be
required. Furthermore, New York State employees are prohibited from
posting such information while performing their duties as a state
employee. Deliberate failure to comply with the provisions of this
legislation will be a Class E Felony.

This Legislation is supported by Member Organizations of the Fair
Elections for New York Campaign: Citizen Action of New York; Brennan
Center for Justice; Communication Workers of America District 1;
Community Voices Heard; New York Friends of Democracy; Public
Campaign; Public Citizen; Center for Working Families; Strong Economy
for All; Democracy Matters; Americans for Campaign Reform; Demos; ACT
NOW; and, United Auto Workers Region 9A.

The public should have easy, timely access to information regarding
contributions to their elected officials. Currently this information
is only available through the Board of Elections. This legislation
improves both transparency and access regarding contributions to
elected officials and provides for a criminal sanction impact for
willful violation of its provisions.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2016: S.133 - REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
2015: S.133 - DEFEATED IN INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
2014: S.787A - Referred to Investigations and Government Operations
2013: S.787A - Reported, Committed to Codes
2012: S.96- Referred to Corporations, Authorities & Commissions
2011: S.96 - Defeated in Corporations, Authorities & Commissions
2010: S.84578 - Referred to Rules

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None to state.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately.