jimmy Vielkind writes in the Times Union - “A clause in the ethics restructuring bill signed into law this past summer loosened Spitzer-era rules that the last generation of ethics watchdogs used to crack down on catered legislative receptions. After a three-year hiatus, they’re being scheduled again.

The Business Council has already mailed invitations to a Jan. 23 event at the Crowne Plaza. The organization’s acting president, Heather Briccetti, said legislators weren’t invited to the event in recent years, where they could rub elbows with the CEOs and corporate leaders on the council board.

The 2007 ethics bill reduced a $75 limit on entertainment legislators could accept and replaced it with a “nominal value” standard. In 2009, the Commission on Public Integrity said pigs-in-a-blanket and spanakopita passed at receptions broke the ban, and fined several groups. Fearing a $5,000 penalty, organizations pulled back.

But when the ethics law was revamped earlier this year, an exception to the ban for “well-attended” events was simplified and clarified to mean any event at which more than 25 non-officials were invited “in good faith” and which is related to their official duties.

“We definitely fall into that category,” Briccetti said. The reception will offer “the usual – cheese and crackers, beverages including wine and beer” and is “a nice kickoff for session; it’s nice to have the tradition back,” she said.

To read more click here.

For information about the Business Council’s 2012 Legislators’ Reception click here.

To read a story about the new ethic law in New York entitled “Ethics and Lobbying Reform In State Government (Again)” by Karl J. Sleight and Joan P. Sullivan that was originally published in the December 6, 2011 issue of New York law Journal click here.

Less than five years after the passage of a comprehensive law touted as the solution to restore public trust and confidence in government, lawmakers returned to square one in an attempt to re-make the image of a state government mired in seemingly unending scandal. On Aug. 15, 2011, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Public Integrity Reform Act (PIRA) of 2011 into law. PIRA overhauled the last “sweeping reform,” the Public Employee Ethics Reform Act (PEERA) of 2007, leaving very few of the signature aspects of that prior act in place. These successive reform measures, however, are creating a difficult working environment for state government officials and lobbyists who regularly find the need for clear guidance in an area already filled with more than its shareof gray.

Mosi Secret of the New York Times writes:

“In 2006, a Queens state senator, Shirley L. Huntley, set up a nonprofit group called Parent Workshop that was intended to help parents navigate the inner workings of New York City’s school system. Then she began funneling state aid to the group, whose executives had close ties to her.

But the money never helped a single family in the school system, prosecutors said Wednesday.

They said four people with ties to Parent Workshop were involved in the theft of nearly $30,000 in state aid that Ms. Huntley had secured.

Indictments made public on Wednesday are evidence of a new effort by New York’s attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, and its comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, to crack down on public corruption.

Senator Huntley, a Democrat, was not named in the indictment, and officials would not say whether she was under investigation. She would not comment on the charges.

Two officers of Parent Workshop, Patricia D. Savage and Lynn H. Smith, are charged with submitting false vouchers to the state for work that was not performed and then keeping nearly $30,000 from the state, according to the indictment.

Two others with ties to the nonprofit group, David R. Gantt and Roger N. Scotland, submitted false documents to cover up the scheme, the indictment said.”

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Kenneth Lovett of the NY Daily News writes:

“The assemblyman son of jailed former state Controller Alan Hevesi may be gearing up for a nasty personal war against the man who put his father behind bars — Gov. Cuomo.

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Queens) was quietly put in charge earlier this year of a committee that has subpoena power to investigate Cuomo and the executive branch agencies.

Sources close to the younger Hevesi said he’s livid over the treatment his father received at the hands of then-Attorney General Cuomo during a massive pay-to-play pension fund scandal probe. They said he’s considering delving aggressively into the agencies that Cuomo controls.”

To read more click here.

The Associated Press reports - “Democratic leaders have chosen a state Assemblyman from Queens as their candidate to replace Rep. Anthony Weiner, who resigned last month after a sexting scandal.

Assemblyman David Weprin will compete for the 9th district Congressional seat in a special election Sept. 13.

Weprin - who lives in Holliswood, a few blocks outside of the district he hopes to represent - was a City Councilman for eight years and former finance chairman.

Weprin’s brother Mark is a City Councilman and their late father, Saul, was a legendary Assembly speaker.”

“The state Legislature is set today to pass sweeping ethics reform as it enters a crucial final week of the legislative session. With the ethics bill approved, the focus will shift to whether lawmakers will legalize same-sex marriage and give final approval to a property-tax cap.” writes Joseph Spector on LoHud.com.

“It will be a marathon week at the Capitol: The Senate is set to adopt 100 bills a day until session ends a week from today.

The end of session typically brings a flurry of bills, but this year Gov. Andrew Cuomo has staked his political capital on getting lawmakers to adopt a tax cap, ethics reform and same-sex marriage.”

To read more click here.

Click here to Voice your support for a property tax cap now!

According to a new Siena College Research Institute poll of registered voters released today - ” Laws to implement a property tax cap and require full public disclosure of legislators’ outside income have each been identified by more than half of New Yorkers as one of their top two legislative priorities before the end of session next week. While Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders have announced agreement on these issues, as of yet neither bill has been passed in either house. If they fail to pass, a plurality of the supporters of the proposals will blame Senate Republicans, more than Assembly Democrats and far more than Cuomo.

Cuomo has a 68-21 percent favorability rating, down slightly from last month’s 71-20 percent, while 55 percent of voters say he’s doing either an excellent or good job as Governor, compared to 41 percent who say he’s doing a fair or poor job (up from 52-45 percent last month). Voters view each House of the Legislature unfavorably by approximately two-to-one majorities, however, a majority of voters view their Senator favorably and a plurality have a favorable view of their Assemblymember. A law allowing wine to be sold in grocery stores is supported by 59 percent of voters and opposed by 36 percent. When it comes to “ultimate fighting,” 55 percent say it should remain illegal in New York, while 39 percent want it legalized.

“More than one-third of voters say a property tax cap is the single most important issue they want addressed this session, and 58 percent say it’s one of their top two priorities.  Following closely behind, with 52 percent calling it one of their top two priorities, is a new ethics law,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.  “The tax cap and ethics are the top two issues for voters of every party, every age group and every region, although for New York City voters the tax cap, ethics and extending rent regulation laws are all virtually tied for first place.”

To read more click here.

Click here to Voice your support for a property tax cap now!

Tom Precious writes in the Buffalo News - “Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and legislative leaders took a victory tour Monday in the Capitol on their agreement to strengthen the state’s ethics laws for state officials and legislators.

But three days after issuing an announcement of the accord, they still were unable to produce a final, proposed piece of legislation.

“The bill is finished,” said Cuomo, who added that negotiators continued to discuss details over the weekend after the Friday announcement. He said a bill could be released as soon as today.”

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Ken Lovett of the Daily News reports - “Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders are close to a deal on a sweeping ethics reform plan designed to clean up the state Capitol.

“This has the potential to be a very comprehensive and far-reaching ethics package,” said Citizen Union’s Richard Dadey.

The long-anticipated bill, which was still being negotiated Wednesday, would require lawmakers to publicly disclose for the first time their outside income, sources said.

It also would require legislators who are lawyers to make public any clients with state business, they said.

Still being discussed is a Senate GOP push to have the state compile a list of all law firms that have clients with state business, whether they employ a legislator or not.”

To read more click here.

According to an Associated Press report on Syracuse.com - “New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ethics disclosure form shows he has more than $250,000 in the bank and more than $60,000 in interest earnings.

It’s the second year the Democrat disclosed the range of his holdings. Although the ethics forms are required of state employees, the ranges of the values are usually redacted before the forms are made public.

Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos released his unedited ethics form May 17, then urged Cuomo and other top leaders to do the same.”

To read more click here.

In an e-mail sent to many New Yorkers, Governor Cuomo gives them an opportunity to send in ideas on how to reform state government. The text of the e-mail is below.

“The last major reorganization of New York State government occurred over eighty years ago.  Since then, our government has grown into a sprawling and expensive bureaucracy.