Senate Democrats Propose Ethics, Campaign Finance Reforms

The Senate Democratic Conference released the “Clean Up Albany” ethics reform package today, proposing limiting the outside income of lawmakers to 15% of their salary (about $12,000 annually) and the types of jobs lawmakers are allowed to take as a way to end conflicts of interests that have been at the heart of Albany corruption cases.

The Senate Democrats are would also limit outside income to about 15 percent of their salary — nearly $12,000 — while creating a commission that could raise the base salary of lawmakers.

In addition to capping legislators’ outside income, the Senate Democrats propose to:

• establish the Commission on Legislative Compensation to examine, evaluate, and make recommendations on compensation and non-salary benefits for state legislators;
• limit LLCs and corporations to $1,000 in political donations annually;
• lower contribution limits across the board;
• prohibit elected officials from using campaign funds for criminal defense and personal use;
• end the practice of taxpayer funded reimbursements of legal fees;
• strip corrupt officials of “taxpayer funded pensions”;
• enact a system publicly-funded political campaigns;
• require the disclosure of “bundling” of contributions; and
• cap contributions to “soft money” (housekeeping) accounts at $25,000.

The Senate Democrats are in the minority in the house, which means that these proposals are unlikely to make it to the Senate floor for a vote.