Governor Cuomo Issues Executive Order Requiring Ethics Training for Top Staff

Governor Cuomo issued his second Executive Order earlier today (E.O. #2).  The text of the Executive Order is not yet available. [Update:  link to E.O. #2]

According to the press release, it requires all Executive Chamber staff and other top state appointees and staff to participate in ethics training focusing on the rules about serving in government, to be offered by the Commission on Public Integrity.  Training must be must be completed within sixty days, and to taken every two years.

In his statement, Cuomo said “it is imperative that Chamber staff and other high ranking government officials be versed in the ethics rules and regulations that apply to them. Top government employees should have no questions, no gray areas, and no possibility of confusion regarding what is proper and what is not.”

Good government groups applauded the Governor’s order.  The measure is one that they recommended the Governor take in a report issued last month.

The order comes when the Governor says that he intends to push for more stringent ethics rules, including requiring more disclosure about outside business activities by lawmakers, including identifying their clients if they work in a private law firm.