Senator Tkaczyk and Colleagues Unveil Tough Ethics Package

Bills Would Limit Use of Campaign Money and Strip Pensions of Any Official Who Breaches Public Trust

  (Albany, NY) State Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk joined her Senate colleagues to unveil a tough legislative ethics package designed to reform state government and combat the ongoing corruption issues facing New York State. Senator Tkaczyk also announced her support for the principles of the Governor Cuomo’s “New York Public Trust Act.”

 Senator Tkaczyk said, “These measures will bring much-needed, sweeping changes to the way business is conducted in Albany. Elected officials who violate the public trust should be punished to the fullest extent possible.

 “This is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of common sense. We are elected to serve the hard working people of New York State, not to enrich ourselves at the public's expense.”

 Legislation included in the ethics package would:

• Retroactively strip pension benefits from any state or local official convicted of a felony involving breach of public trust;
• Outlaw the use of campaign money for criminal defense;
• Require that campaign contribution disclosure reports to the State Board of Elections state whether the contributor is a lobbyist;
• Require elected officials to post campaign donation information on their websites.

Senator Tkaczyk concluded,  “This is an issue that has been talked about for too long. I look forward to working with my colleagues and Governor Cuomo to make our State Government more open, more honest, and more effective in serving the people of New York State."

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