Attorney General Calls for Action on Ethics, Campaign Finance Reform (Updated)

In an editorial in today’s Times Union, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says that he will send the Legislature a program bill, which he has dubbed the End New York Corruption Now Act, and urge action on it before the end of the legislative session on June 17.

Schneiderman writes “There are only two paths to meaningful change: fundamental reform of the system, or more investigations, arrests and prosecutions that further erode public confidence.”

His proposal will include:

• lowering campaign contribution limits;
• limiting campaign contributions from lobbyists;
• closing campaign contribution loopholes;
• providing a system of matching funds for small contributions;
• expanding the ability of state prosecutors to investigate and prosecute public corruption;
• prohibiting outside employment by state legislators, while also increasing their pay; and
• changing Assembly and Senate terms from two to four years.

The Attorney General will hold a press conference in New York City this morning to announce his proposal.

Read news coverage from the Daily News, the Times Union, the AP and Capital New York.

Update:  Read the Attorney General’s press release.