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State Leaders Reach Landmark Agreement On Ethics Reforms Governor Eliot Spitzer, Lieutenant Governor David Paterson and legislative leaders yesterday announced an agreement to implement one of the most sweeping ethics and lobbying reform packages in state history. The agreement will set higher ethical standards for public officials, significantly strengthen penalties for violations, establish an independent public integrity panel with far-reaching powers, and reorganize the Legislative Ethics Committee. The governor said: "In one bold action, lawmakers have set New York on a path toward true integrity in government." Paterson added: "Strong leaders have demonstrated we can have unity despite our differences. We are writing a new page in our state's history where ethics will be the guiding principle for our government." Speaker Sheldon Silver said: ""These reforms continue the Assembly's long-standing commitment to fundamentally changing the way state government functions." The agreement implements an array of new ethics and lobbying standards, including: Lobbying Reforms - Prohibits all gifts from lobbyists and their clients of more than nominal value, including travel, lodging and other expenses, and broadens the types of lobbying activities that lobbyists must disclose; Gifts - Prohibits all gifts of more than "nominal value" from non-lobbyists to public officials where such gifts might appear designed to influence the official; Honoraria - Bans virtually all honoraria for elected officials, agency heads and legislators; Anti-Nepotism Policy - Prohibits state employees from participating in any personnel decision or contracting matter concerning a relative; Political Hiring - Bars non-legislative employees from asking about the political affiliation, contributions or voting records of prospective employees; Soliciting Contributions - Prohibits non-legislative employees from using their authority or influence to "compel or induce" any other employee to make political contributions; Running for Elective Office - Prevents agency heads from becoming a candidate for any compensated elective office unless they resign or take an unpaid leave of absence; Taxpayer-Financed Advertisements - Prohibits elected government officials and candidates for elected local, state or federal office from appearing in taxpayer-funded advertisements; Revolving Door - Closes the "revolving door" loophole by prohibiting former legislative employees from directly lobbying the Legislature for two years, and expands the revolving door restrictions for Executive Chamber employees to preclude appearances before any state agency. The agreement also strengthens penalties for violations of the state Public Officers Law and state Lobbying Law. Lobbyists who repeatedly flout lobbying laws will be subject to suspension. The agreement combines the current State Ethics Commission and State Lobbying Commission and creates a new State Commission on Public Integrity with broad authority to enforce ethics and lobbying laws. Finally, the agreement replaces the current Legislative Ethics Committee with a new Legislative Ethics Commission that has a majority of independent members and new disclosure requirements.
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