BILL NUMBER: S8591
SPONSOR: ASHBY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act in relation to establishing a commission to investigate foreign
influence on governmental employees and elections; and providing for the
repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
PURPOSE:
Establishes a commission to investigate foreign influence on state
government and elections.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Appoints a 25-member commission to investigate foreign influ-
ence on governmental employees and elections. The members will be
appointed as follows: 5 members appointed by the Governor, 5 members
appointed by the Speaker, 5 members appointed by the temporary president
of the Senate, 5 members appointed by the Assembly minority leader, and
5 members appointed by the Senate minority leader.
Section 2: Lays out the duties of the commission.
Section 3: Directs the Attorney General to appoint the commissioners who
are attorneys as deputy attorneys general and delegate them the authori-
ty to exercise the appropriate investigative powers.
Section 4: Establishes the powers and authority that may be given or
granted to the members of the commission.
Section 5: During the course of the inquiry if the commission obtains
evidence of the violation of existing laws, such evidence shall be
communicated to the office of the attorney general and appropriate law
enforcement authorities.
Section 6: Every department, board, bureau, and commission of the state,
including but not limited to state agencies shall provide full cooper-
ation and assistance to the commission in the fulfillment of its duties.
Section 7: The commission shall issue a preliminary report on or before
May 1, 2025, and a final report on or before May 1, 2026.
Section 8: Effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The U.S. Department of Justice charged the Governor's Deputy Chief of
Staff with acting as an undisclosed agent of the People's Republic of
China and the Chinese Communist Party. According to the Department of
Justice, the Governor's aide used her position to covertly promoted the
Chinese Communist Party's agenda and threatened the United States'
national security, as well as facilitating the transfer of millions of
dollars in kickbacks for personal gain. In addition, the Department of
Justice indicted the New York City mayor for accepting illegal campaign
contributions and bribes from Turkish nationals seeking to influence
him. A bipartisan commission is needed to investigate the role of
foreign interests on New York government to root out efforts to illegal-
ly influence state officials and prevent additional cases in the future.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed 6 months after the submission of the final report by the
commission.