S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2826
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 20, 2015
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Introduced by M. of A. KATZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CROUCH,
DiPIETRO, FINCH, HAWLEY, LUPINACCI, TENNEY -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to instituting greater
transparency in contributions made to any elected officials
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 14-125
2 to read as follows:
3 S 14-125. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS
4 ONLINE. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY
5 THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS FOR EACH COUNTY
6 OF THE STATE AND IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK FOR THE FIVE COUNTIES THEREOF
7 SHALL IMPLEMENT AND ESTABLISH AN ONLINE DATA BASE DETAILING ALL CAMPAIGN
8 FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS FILED BY EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL RUNNING FOR
9 OR VOTED INTO A PUBLIC OFFICE IN NEW YORK STATE AND FOR EVERY CANDIDATE
10 FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. SUCH DATA BASE SHALL CONSIST OF ALL CAMPAIGN FINAN-
11 CIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS FILED IN CONNECTION WITH EACH ELECTION (PRIMARY,
12 GENERAL AND SPECIAL) PURSUANT TO SECTION 14-108 OF THIS ARTICLE AND
13 NYCRR 6200.2.
14 (A) A LINK TO SUCH DATA BASE SHALL BE CLEARLY VISIBLE ON THE OPENING
15 PAGE OF THE WEBSITE FOR THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND THE BOARD OF
16 ELECTIONS OF EACH COUNTY AND SHALL BE ENTITLED "CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL
17 DISCLOSURE REPORTS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CANDIDATES IN YOUR COUNTY".
18 IF, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR CANDIDATE FILES THEIR CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL
19 DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS WITH THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS THE VISITOR
20 SHALL BE DIRECTED TO THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE. BY
21 CLICKING ON SUCH LINK THE WEBSITE VISITOR SHALL BE ABLE TO VIEW A LIST
22 OF ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN THE COUNTY AND CANDIDATES ON THE
23 BALLOT IN PRIMARY, GENERAL AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS. FROM SUCH LIST THE
24 VISITOR SHALL THEN BE ABLE TO SELECT THE NAME OF A PARTICULAR ELECTED
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04429-01-5
A. 2826 2
1 OFFICIAL OR CANDIDATE AND VIEW ALL REPORTED CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL DISCLO-
2 SURE REPORTS FILED BY SUCH ELECTED OFFICIAL OR CANDIDATE WITHIN THE
3 CURRENT CALENDAR YEAR. ADDITIONALLY, CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
4 REPORTS MADE IN PREVIOUS YEARS SHALL BE ARCHIVED ON THE SAME WEBPAGE FOR
5 A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS.
6 (B) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY ALL
7 ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CANDIDATES WHO MAINTAIN ANY WEBSITE, OTHER THAN
8 THE WEBSITE MAINTAINED FOR SERVICE IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITY, SHALL
9 ESTABLISH A CLEARLY VISIBLE LINK ENTITLED "MY CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL DISCLO-
10 SURE REPORTS". SUCH LINK SHALL DIRECT WEBSITE VISITORS TO THE STATE OR
11 THEIR RESPECTIVE BOARD OF ELECTIONS COUNTY WEBSITE. ALL CANDIDATES FOR
12 PUBLIC OFFICE SHALL BE REQUIRED ON THEIR CAMPAIGN WEBSITE OR SITE THAT
13 INCLUDES CAMPAIGN INFORMATION TO ESTABLISH A CLEARLY VISIBLE LINK ENTI-
14 TLED "MY CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS" ON THEIR HOME PAGE. SUCH
15 LINK SHALL DIRECT WEBSITE VISITORS TO THE STATE OR THEIR RESPECTIVE
16 BOARD OF ELECTIONS COUNTY WEBSITE. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION ANY
17 WEBSITE WHICH CONTAINS INFORMATION ON AN ELECTED OFFICIAL'S CAMPAIGN
18 SHALL BE CONSIDERED A CAMPAIGN WEBSITE.
19 2. (A) ALL THREE CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS FILED IN
20 CONNECTION WITH EACH ELECTION: THIRTY-TWO DAY PRE-ELECTION; ELEVEN DAY
21 PRE-ELECTION; TEN DAY POST-ELECTION FOR PRIMARY ELECTIONS (ONLY FOR
22 THOSE PARTICIPATING FINANCIALLY IN THE PRIMARY); OR TWENTY-SEVEN DAY
23 POST-ELECTION FOR GENERAL OR SPECIAL ELECTIONS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE
24 ON THE STATE OR COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF
25 THEIR FILING DATE.
26 (B) CAMPAIGN FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE PERIODIC REPORTS SHALL ALSO BE MADE
27 AVAILABLE ON THE CITY, COUNTY OR STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITES WITH-
28 IN FIVE DAYS OF THEIR FILING DATE AS SPECIFIED IN THE ANNUAL FILING
29 CALENDAR.
30 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all
31 campaign financial disclosure reports filed one hundred twenty days
32 after this act shall have become a law.