BILL NUMBER: S2047A
SPONSOR: WEBB
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the legislative law, in relation to the term "reportable
business relationship" as it relates to certain employees of the state
university of New York and the city university of New York
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation would exclude faculty at SUNY and CUNY from the defi-
nition of covered employee as it relates to a reportable business
relationship.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Subdivision (w) of Section 1-C of the legislative law,
as added by section 8 of part A of chapter 399 of the laws of 2011.
Specifically states that the term reportable business relationship shall
not include an individual whose only state employment is through SUNY or
CUNY as a professor, adjunct professor, lecturer, instructor, assistant
professor, associate professor or similar teaching role,and is employed
in a similar role at the college or university that does not supervise
other state employees or manage grant-funded projects or research.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Under New York's lobby laws, disclosure of a business relationship is
required to ensure conflicts of interest and ensure transparency.
However, under this law there are unintended consequences that are
created and not reflective of the goals of this important law. This
legislation would exempt an individual whose only state employment is as
a SUNY or CUNY professor who then is hired to teach at an independent
college. The intent of the current law is to ensure policy making indi-
viduals involved in State government must be transparent with their
business relationships. However, a SUNY or CUNY professor is not in a
policy making position. Having a SUNY or CUNY professor covered by this
law results in an unnecessary cost and acts as a roadblock and disincen-
tive to the hiring of these well qualified individuals.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-2022: S. 202/A. 5321; Veto 38
2019-2020: S. 6325/A. 8267; Referred to Ethics and Internal Governance
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S2047: 1-c legislative law
S2047A: 1-c legislative law