Senator Gustavo Rivera (D,WF) joined by 61 of his colleagues this afternoon in voting unanimously in favor of S. 5679, the Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011. The Public Integrity Act of 2011 included mandatory full financial disclosure for all public officials, which was the substance of S.382, the first bill Senator Rivera introduced during his first week in office.
“The need for meaningful ethics reform and the importance of restoring Bronxites’ faith in state government was one of the main reasons why I decided to run for public office,” said Senator Rivera. “That is why the first bill I introduced focused on government transparency, making it mandatory for all elected officials to disclose all sources of their income. I believe that New Yorkers have a right to know where their elected official’s salaries are coming from, especially if they are being paid by special interests, companies or individuals whose interests are diametrically opposed to the interests of their constituents and their community.”
“I am proud that the ethics package the State Senate voted on and passed today contains financial disclosure in addition to the creation of an independent ethics commission and the stripping of pensions for elected officials who have betrayed the trust of their constituents. By passing this legislation, I believe that we as a legislature are making enormous strides toward renewing New Yorkers trust in their state government. Although there are measures such as independent redistricting and campaign finance reform that I would have liked to have seen included in this package, I believe we are merely beginning an important conversation about ethics reform. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Cuomo and my colleagues in the Senate and the Assembly in order to put an end to the culture of corruption in Albany.”
The text of the Public Integrity Act of 2011 can be found at http://open.nysenate.gov/
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