BILL NUMBER: S4857B
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law and the executive law, in
relation to the annual statement of financial disclosure and the posting
of financial disclosure filings for candidates for statewide elected
office or candidates for a member of the legislature
 
PURPOSE:
This bill requires the website posting of financial disclosure filings
for candidates for state elected office who are required to make such
filings given that such filings are already public documents, but
unhelpfully are not made easily accessible.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends paragraph (k) of subdivision 2 of § 73-a of the public
officers law, by adding candidates for statewide office or candidates
for a member of the legislature to the list of individuals subject to
the financial disclosure statement reporting requirements.
Section 2: Amends paragraph (b) of subdivision 13 of § 94 of the execu-
tive law, to require the posting of candidate forms on the Commission
for Ethics and Lobbying in Government's (COELIG) website.
Section 3: Amends paragraph (f) of subdivision 1 of § 73-a of the pUblic
officers law to include domestic partners within the definition of
"relative".
Section 4: Amends paragraph 8 of subdivision 3 of § 73-a of the public
officers law to eliminate questions from annual financial disclosures
that are out of date.
Section 5: Amends subparagraph (c) of paragraph 16-a of subdivision 3 of
73-a of the public officers law to change the reporting grid on digital
assets question to conform with the language of such question.
Section 6: Sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
It is important for voters to know about the conflicts and potential
conflicts of interest of candidates running for office. Elected state-
wide office holders and members of the Legislature are already required
to submit financial disclosure filings as public documents and they are
posted publicly on the JCOPE website. However, for candidates for these
offices, while they must submit financial disclosures, in order for the
public to access them, a member of the public has to file-a Freedom of
Information Law (FOIL) request. This bill furthers democratic account-
ability, and also begins to recognize that with the accelerated primary
schedule, it is important for public disclosure to occur promptly so
that voters can be informed in advance of the elections, accessing
financial disclosure forms on the Commission for Ethics and Lobbying in
Government's (COELIG) website.
This bill also includes revisions to § 73-a of the public officers law
and of § 94 of the executive law to make necessary technical changes to
financial disclosure forms, by including domestic partners within the
definition of "relative" and by eliminating out of date language on the
disclosure forms.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Senate
2021: S7439A, Committed to Rules
2022: S7439A, Advanced to Third Reading
2023: S3574A, Referred to Ethics and Internal Governance
2024: S3574A, Advanced to Third Reading
Assembly
2021: A5950, Referred to Governmental Operations
2022: A5950, Amend and recommit to governmental operations
2023: A2507A, Referred to Governmental Operations
2024: A2057A, Amend and Recommit to Governmental Operations
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S4857: 73-a public officers law, 73-a(2) public officers law, 94 executive law, 94(13) executive law
S4857A: 73-a public officers law, 73-a(2) public officers law, 94 executive law, 94(13) executive law
S4857B: 73-a public officers law, 73-a(2) public officers law, 94 executive law, 94(13) executive law, 73-a(1) public officers law, 73-a(3) public officers law