Ethics Reform Under Discussion in the State Capitol

In Monday’s Daily News, Celeste Katz reports that Governor Cuomo has provided the Senate and Assembly majorities copies of a draft ethics reform bill, but that the Senate and Assembly minorities have not been a part of the discussion..

YNN reports that the Governor’s office, Assembly Democrats, and Senate Republicans have started three-way talks to craft an ethics reform package, and Speaker Silver says that an ethics reform proposal could be ready for a vote “within days.”

Newsday (behind a paywall) quotes the Governor as characterizing his proposed ethics reforms as “dramatic,” but according to the Governor’s staff the 2011-12 state budget proposal (due to be released next week) is a higher priority than ethics reform at the moment.

Related:  Legislative Gazette publisher Alan Chartock argues that attorney-legislators should be required to fully disclose their clients and outside income.