BILL NUMBER: S4067
SPONSOR: MANNION
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to training
requirements for members of the board of ethics of a political subdivi-
sion or municipality
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to require mandatory training for each
member of the board of ethics of a political subdivision or munici-
pality.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill would amend section 808 of the General Municipal
Law by adding a new subdivision six to require each member of a board of
ethics of a political subdivision or municipality outside of New York
City to complete a minimum of four hours of training annually. Addi-
tionally, members who fail to complete their annual training would be
ineligible for reappointment until such time that their training was
completed. Furthermore, this section would also carve out an exception
to the training requirement by allowing the governing body to adopt a
resolution waiving or modifying the training.
Section 2 of this bill provides that the effective date shall take
effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Article 18 of New York State General Municipal Law (GML) establishes
standards of conduct for officers and employees of municipalities
outside of New York City. GML Section 808 allows for the adoption of
local codes of ethics by political subdivisions and municipalities.
Local boards of ethics are empowered to render advisory opinions to
municipal staff and officers with respect to ethical conduct prescribed
by Article 18. However, nothing in statute requires that the ethics
board members have any experience, training or background related to
GML.
This amendment would ensure that board members are trained annually so
that they may carry out their important oversight duties more efficient-
ly and effectively. Further, annual training will help the public and
the employees receiving decisions to have more confidence in the deter-
minations that local ethics boards are issuing. State law already
requires annual training for local Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning
Boards pursuant to Town Law.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: S.7550 (Gaughran) - Advanced to Third Reading.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
No fiscal impact to the State and minimal impact to local governments as
this training can be provided in-house and in any format.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

Statutes affected:
S4067: 808 general municipal law