Deal reached to toughen state ethics laws

State lawmakers said Friday they have reached a deal to make landmark changes in New York's notoriously weak ethics laws.

The accord would -- for the first time -- force state legislators, who are considered part-time, to disclose their outside clients who do business with the state. Further, attorneys who are lawmakers would not only have to disclose their clients, but also any client of their law firm who receives state contracts or grants or lobbies the state.

"This bill is the tough and aggressive approach we need," said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who made ethics one of his key legislative issues in this, his first term. "It provides for disclosure of outside income by lawmakers, creates a true independent monitor to investigate corruption, and spells out tough, new rules that lobbyists must follow."

Cuomo announced the accord late Friday along with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan). In addition to greater financial disclosure, the agreement would:

Require lawmakers convicted of felonies to forfeit their pensions.

Expand the activities that lobbyists must report and establish a database to catalog any appearance a lobbyist makes before a state agency.

Establish a new, 14-member Joint Committee on Public Ethics that would have the ability to investigate claims against legislators as well as executive branch employees.

Substantiated claims against lawmakers would be adjudicated by the Legislative Ethics Commission, an oft-criticized body that would continue in existence. But -- also a first -- that commission must publicize all cases it receives.

Previously, cases were never publicized unless there were findings, which were extremely rare.

The new ethics measures follow a series of scandals that have rocked the Capitol in recent years. Between 2005 and 2010, 13 legislators, including former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, left office or were voted out after facing criminal charges or ethical misconduct allegations.

Though some legislators have noted that the new disclosure law likely would have had no impact on any of the headline-grabbing cases, Cuomo has said it could serve as a major deterrent.

"This ethics agreement signals that we've taken another step in restoring the public's trust in their government," said Skelos, a lawyer who would be subject to the new disclosure laws.

"Today's agreement will strengthen our citizens' faith in their government and hold accountable those who betray the public trust by requiring more extensive financial disclosure and creating additional penalties for those who break the law," Silver said.

Good-government groups called the changes long-awaited. "These ethics reforms for the first time will open a huge window on the outside work and pay of state lawmakers," said Russ Haven, executive director of the New York State Public Interest Research Group.