Budget Agreement Includes Matching Campaign Funds Pilot Program, Corruption Provisions, Ends Moreland Commission

Gov. Cuomo’s initial budget proposal included a number of ethics and campaign finance reforms, including a system of public financing for state political campaigns.  (Read my prior blog post on the Governor’s proposal here.)

As part of the budget deal reached late last week, legislative leaders agreed to some reforms, but rejected proposals that would have lowered limits on campaign contributions and closed various loopholes.

The agreed-to 2014-15 budget:

• establishes a pilot taxpayer-financed campaign system which will be used only in this fall’s state Comptroller’s race;
• creates new public corruption offenses;
• requires greater disclosure by Super PACs; and
• creates a new enforcement counsel at the State Board of Elections.

In addition, Gov. Cuomo said that he will end the Moreland Commission to Investigation Public Corruption if legislatures approve the new ethics measures in the state budget.  Gov. Cuomo established the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption in July 2013 to “probe systemic public corruption and the appearance of such corruption in state government, political campaigns and elections in New York State.”

Read news coverage from Capital NY, the Journal News, and the Capitol Confidential blog.

The budget language can be found in Part H of A.8555-D/S.6355-D.