Governor Proposes Campaign Finance, Ethics Reforms as Part of Executive Budget

Gov. Cuomo released his 2014-15 Executive Budget proposal yesterday.  It includes campaign finance reforms, an optional system of publicly financed campaigns, an independent Election Law enforcement unit, and improvements to the state’s public corruption and bribery laws.

I’ll be taking a closer look at each of these proposals in the near future, but here is summary.  The Governor is proposing to:

  • Increase penalties for public corruption crimes and updates the state’s bribery laws;
  • Reduce campaign donation limits: On aggregate contributions to a housekeeping committee to $25,000 per year; on corporate contributions to $1,000 instead of $5,000 per year and close the so-called “LLC loophole,” which allows companies to exceed limits by donating through many affiliated companies.
  • Require legislators to disclose of all of their firm’s clients who have business before the state;
  • Put in place a system of public financing similar to New York City’s, under which contributions up to $175 are matched $6 to $1. Senate and Assembly candidates could participate in the program in 2016, and other state offices could participate in 2018.
  • Limit the use of contributions to expenses that are directly related to elections or public duties.
  • This program would be paid for via a tax form check-off and the state’s abandoned property fund.
  • Create a new election law enforcement unit, which would be led by an appointee of the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation.

From Gov. Cuomo’s press release:

Restoring Public Trust:
The 2014-15 Executive Budget includes further reforms to ensure New Yorkers have confidence that their elected officials are serving them honestly and with transparency. These proposals include new anti-bribery and corruption laws, public financing of elections, campaign finance reform, independent enforcement and oversight at the Board of Elections, and disclosure of outside clients of State Legislators conducting business before the State. In addition the Budget provides $200,000 to enable JCOPE to operate a hotline in which State employees or the public can report allegations of sexual harassment or other violations of the public trust by State officials.