Permits certain members of the state liquor authority or officers, deputies, assistants, inspectors or employees thereof to be a member of a community board of education

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Erik Bottcher

Allows certain NY SLA personnel to simultaneously serve on NYC community boards of education or as notaries, with existing conflict rules and removal still in place.

REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Summary of Bill S. 10495 (2025-2026) – New York

Purpose and intent

The bill amends the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law to allow certain members and employees of the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) to serve as a member of a community board of education.

Specifically, it permits a person who is or would be a member, officer, deputy, assistant, inspector, or employee of the SLA to also hold public office as a notary public or as a member of a community board of education (in the city school district of New York City). This is a departure from the current disqualification provisions that restrict such affiliations with respect to conflicts related to the alcohol industry.

Key provisions and changes

Section 16 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law (as amended by Chapter 731 of the Laws of 1971) is modified.

Current prohibition: SLA members and certain officers/employees cannot have any financial interest in premises where alcohol is manufactured or sold, or in any business related to the alcohol industry, or receive commissions from license applicants, and they cannot hold another public office unless given written permission.

New exception: The disqualification prohibition is narrowed to still prevent conflicts related to alcohol interests, but it explicitly allows SLA members and certain personnel to hold:

The public office of notary public, or
A position as a member of a community board of education (specifically referenced as in the city school district of New York City).

Violation of the provisions remains a basis for removal from the SLA or related positions.

Who would be affected

SLA members and certain SLA officers, deputies, assistants, inspectors, or employees.

Those individuals would be allowed to simultaneously serve on:

A notary public role, or
A community board of education in the New York City school district.

Procedural and timeline aspects

The act immediately modifies the existing law upon enactment, with the stated effective date: “shall take effect immediately.”

The bill was introduced May 15, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations.

No new funding or regulatory oversight mechanisms are specified beyond the modification of disqualification language and the existing removal remedy for violations.

Potential implications and considerations

Accessibility to public service: The bill expands opportunities for SLA personnel to engage in local education governance, potentially increasing expertise and coordination between state alcohol regulation and school governance.

Conflict-of-interest safeguards: While expanding permissible concurrent roles, the bill retains the general framework that improper interests and commissions are prohibited, maintaining a removal remedy for violations.

Jurisdictional scope: The explicit reference to the New York City Board of Education situates the change within NYC’s governance structure; the bill does not state a broader statewide expansion to all boards of education beyond NYC, though it creates a general allowance for “community board of education” in the city school district.

Bottom line

S. 10495 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law to permit certain SLA personnel to simultaneously serve on a community board of education (specifically NYC) or as a notary public, provided they comply with existing conflict-of-interest rules and removal provisions. The change is immediate upon enactment.