Public Comments Now Being Accepted on Potential Proposals to Imp...

The Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) is now accepting public comment on dozens of potential proposals to strengthen the state’s ethics and lobbying laws and regulations, Executive Director Sanford N. Berland announced today. The Commission is conducting a yearslong Comprehensive Review Process to gauge the effectiveness of New York’s ethics and lobbying laws, regulations, and advisory opinions and to assess whether modifications are needed. The potential proposals are preliminary and aimed at achieving full compliance with the state’s ethics and lobbying laws and to increase public confidence in the integrity of state government. Feedback is requested by Oct. 2 to inform the Commission’s consideration of a series of potential proposals formulated by Commission staff.  

“The Commission is called upon to assess the consistency and effectiveness of New York’s ethics and lobbying laws, regulations, and advisory opinions and to determine whether changes are needed,” Executive Director Berland said. “Democracy cannot flourish without public confidence in the integrity of government, and any process aimed at improving compliance with the state’s ethics and lobbying laws must include input from the public and all affected and interested communities.  We want the public’s help in evaluating the breadth of potential recommendations, both those we received, and those staff has tentatively formulated. Our singular objective is to ensure that we have the tools and resources to carry out our responsibilities as efficiently and as effectively as possible and to make our mission – improving public confidence in the integrity of state government - a reality.” 

“The key to the Comprehensive Review is taking an educated and unfettered look at everything being done currently and at everything that can be done to advance the Commission’s work across the agency to ensure compliance with the state’s ethics and lobbying laws,” Chair Seymour W. James, Jr. said. “Part of that process is seeking public input on the spectrum of ideas and proposals that have emerged in the course of staff’s far-reaching review process.”  

Comprehensive Review Process 

The Commission, in accordance with the Ethics Commission Reform Act (ECRA), is conducting a multi-year comprehensive review of the laws, regulations, and advisory opinions that govern its work as well as the Commission’s capital and resource needs in the coming years. The review began shortly after the Commission’s inception with the formal modification and adoption of the agency’s regulations to align with ECRA. Public input is integral to the review process, and the Commission conducted public hearings in 2023 and 2024 as well as a roundtable discussion with representatives of interested communities. The Commission also advanced Legislative agendas in 2023 and 2024 that included proposals to improve the administration, enforcement, and the effectiveness of the state’s ethics and lobbying laws.   

In summer 2024, the Commission conducted two surveys of regulated communities, partner entities, and other stakeholders – one directed at the ethics and conflict-of-interest laws, regulations and advisory opinions, the other at the lobbying laws and regulations. The information elicited was used to identify substantive, procedural, and resource impediments to full compliance with New York’s ethics and lobbying laws and regulations and to address whether statutory, regulatory, or administrative and enforcement changes are needed. 

In fall 2024, Commission staff developed and began implementing survey response plans and presented these plans at the February 2025 Commission meeting. In spring of this year, the Commission elicited from staff their unique insights into the interpretation and administration of ethics and lobby laws and regulations and potential changes that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Commission’s work. All of these efforts have led to the presentation for public comment and discussion of the Comprehensive Review guiding questions and potential, preliminary proposals at the September 10, 2025 Commission meeting. 

The public may view the guiding questions and potential, preliminary proposals on the Commission’s website.  

The public is invited to comment on the guiding questions and potential proposals at the Commission’s September 25 public hearing and by email to [email protected] through October 2. 

Next Steps 

Commissioners will consider the public comments received at the Commission’s public hearing as they develop the Commission’s 2026 and future Legislative agendas as well as the final Comprehensive Review Report to be completed in 2026.  

About the New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government    

Established by the 2022 Ethics Commission Reform Act (ECRA) and made effective in July 2022, the Commission’s charge is to foster public trust in government by ensuring compliance with the state’s ethics and lobbying laws and regulations. It has jurisdiction over more than 330,000 officers and employees at state agencies and departments, including commissions, boards, state public benefit corporations, public authorities, SUNY, CUNY, and the statutory closely affiliated corporations; the four statewide elected officials and candidates for those offices; employees and members of the state Legislature and legislative candidates; and state and local lobbyists and their clients.       

The Commission administers, enforces, and interprets New York’s ethics and lobbying laws by providing information, education, and guidance regarding ethics and lobbying laws; promoting compliance through audits, investigations, and enforcement proceedings; issuing formal and informal advisory opinions; and promulgating regulations implementing the laws under its jurisdiction.      

The Commission promotes transparency by conducting its proceedings publicly to the fullest extent permitted by law and by making the financial and other disclosures filed by those subject to the Commission’s authority publicly available. These disclosures include, but are not limited to, annual financial disclosure statements filed by over 30,000 individuals, and millions of records contained in registrations and activity and expense reports filed by lobbyists and their clients.