Appointment Process for NYS Ethics Commission: Good Government Groups Joint Proposal
SUMMARY
The Government Ethics and State Affairs Committee joined with good government groups (Citizens Union, Committee to Reform the State Constitution, Common Cause/NY, League of Women Voters of New York State, New York Public Interest Research Group, Reinvent Albany, and Sexual Harassment Working Group) to propose an independent ethics commission to replace the failed Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE). The proposal is the product of extensive consideration by the groups and attempts to find a model that will respond to concerns raised by the Governor and the Legislature while also maintaining the commission’s independence. The ultimate goal is for New York to select ethics commissioners in a way that preserves their independence and ability to act without fear or favor. This model was crafted to achieve that goal while respecting both the Governor’s request that elected officials not directly appoint commissioners and the Legislature’s concerns about the commission’s accountability. The groups are advocating for the inclusion of this new commission in the budget.
Overview of Proposed New Ethics Commission
