BILL NUMBER: S6218
SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law and the election law, in
relation to prohibiting foreign agents from holding public office and
political party positions
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers' law and the election law, in
relation to prohibiting those who are or who have been foreign agents
from holding public office and political party positions.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the public. officers' law by adding a new subdivision,
which states that no person who shall be or who has ever been a foreign
agent shall be eligible to hold civil office and defines the term
"foreign agent" as a person who acts at the order, request, or under the
direction or control of foreign government, organization or person
outside of the United States or persons who are controlled or subsidized
in major part by a foreign government, organization or person outside of
the United States.
Section 2 amends the election law by adding a new section, 2-126, which
states that no person who shall be or who has ever been a foreign agent
will be eligible to hold a party position. This section defines "foreign
agent" as defined in section 1.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State's elected officials and party position holders must have
the best interest of the party they've affiliated with, New York State
and the United States of America at heart.
To prevent a situation in which an elected official should choose the
interests of another country above that of the United States or the
political party they affiliate themselves with, and to ensure that all
elected officials do right and serve in accordance to the oath of office
they swore by, rather than that of a foreign government, organization or
person whom they are subsidized by, foreign agents should not be
allowed, to hold public office or political party positions.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.4492 of 2023-24 referred to governmental operations
S.2102 of 2021-22 referred to governmental operations
S.7465 of 2019-20 referred to governmental operations
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

Statutes affected:
S6218: 3 public officers law