Sen. Fahy Introduces Legislation to Shine a Light on Dark Money in New York State & Local Elections

ALBANY, N.Y. — Today, Senator Patricia Fahy (D–Albany) announced she is introducing legislation (S.XXXX) requiring independent expenditure (IE) groups to disclose their top donors directly on political ads, mailers, robocalls, and digital communications. The bill is aimed at combating the growing influence of dark money in New York State elections and restoring public trust in our democratic process.

While independent expenditure groups must currently report large donations to the State Board of Elections, there is no requirement that they disclose donor names directly on the communications voters receive. This legislation would change that by requiring IE ads to list their top three donors who contributed over $1,000 in the prior 12 months, a standard already used in New York City and gaining notoriety in the 2025 race for New York City Mayor. It would also require disclosure of the campaign’s treasurer and a link to their disclosure filings on the State Board of Elections website.

Recent high-profile IE campaigns in New York have raised alarm bells. In recent election cycles, outside groups funded millions of dollars’ worth of mailers and attack ads targeting top and down-ballot races, often without voters knowing who was behind them. This legislation would align state law with New York City’s existing donor disclosure standards and direct the State Board of Elections to establish clear rules for compliance and oversee enforcement. 

“This is a matter of transparency and fairness,” said bill sponsor Senator Fahy (D—Albany). “Voters have a right to know who’s trying to influence their decisions and elections in New York State. If powerful interests are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in dark money to sway an election, that should be front and center for all New York State voters.”

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