State Board of Elections Publishes Independent Expenditure Regs; Good Government Groups Express Concern

Today’s New York State Register includes the State Board of Elections’ proposed rule requiring the disclosure of independent expenditures (see page 13), which I previously blogged about last month.

(The New York City Campaign Finance Board is also working on its own independent expenditure disclosure rules.)

SBOE is not planning to hold any public hearings on the proposed rules.  SBOE also explains that these new rules do not put any new requirements into place, but are intended to raise awareness of existing law:

While the requirements of registration and disclosure of expenditures is set forth in Article 14 of the Election Law, there is concern that those making independent expenditures are not fully aware of the requirements. Therefore, while this regulation does not impose any new requirements on those making independent expenditures, it is intended to help those parties understand the requirements of existing law.

Good government groups are concerned that the proposed rules do not go far enough.