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Bill

Bill

A 2578

Requires legislators and candidates for member of the legislature to provide a link to their financial disclosure statements on their official state and campaign websites

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Donna Lupardo and 3 co-sponsors

The bill would require legislators and legislative candidates to place a visible hyperlink to their financial disclosure statements on both their official legislative pages and cam

PRINT NUMBER 2578A
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Bill Summary · A 2578

Summary: Assembly Bill A 2578 (A2578A)

Overview

Bill A 2578 would require legislators and candidates for the New York State Legislature to provide a direct link to their financial disclosure statements on both their official state legislative pages and their campaign websites. The amended version is labeled PRINT NUMBER 2578A.

Purpose and Intent

  • Increase transparency by ensuring easy public access to financial disclosure information for members of the legislature and individuals running for legislative office.
  • Create a consistent, visible pathway for constituents and watchdogs to review the financial disclosures of elected officials and candidates.

Key Provisions (as drafted in A2578A)

  • Mandate: Legislators and legislative candidates must include a hyperlink to their financial disclosure statements on:
    • Their official state legislative website pages, and
    • Their campaign/candidate website.
  • Accessibility: The link is intended to be readily accessible to the public via these sites (the specific placement and format would be determined within the bill’s final language).
  • Scope: Applies to current legislators and to persons seeking or holding candidacy for membership in the state legislature.
  • Compliance: The bill would presumably rely on existing ethics and campaign finance compliance frameworks for enforcement and remedies, though exact enforcement mechanisms are not detailed in the provided materials.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Current members of the New York State Assembly (and any other state legislators covered by the bill’s scope).
  • Individuals running for the New York State Assembly (candidates).
  • Campaign committees and related entities that maintain official candidate websites.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Introduced: January 17, 2025.
  • Legislative handling: Referred to the Governmental Operations committee.
  • Status updates (as of the provided actions):
    • January 17, 2025: Referred to Governmental Operations.
    • March 7, 2025: Actions reflect amendments and recombination as part of PRINT NUMBER 2578A; multiple entries show “AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS” and “PRINT NUMBER 2578A” on that date, indicating the bill has been amended and reprinted in its A2578A form.
  • Related bills from prior sessions include A 3824, A 3469, A 1609, and A 5688, suggesting ongoing interest in legislator disclosures and transparency.

Sponsors

  • Primary sponsor: John T. McDonald III.
  • Co-sponsors: Angelo J. Morinello, Donna Lupardo, Mary Beth Walsh.

Related Legislation

  • A 3824, A 3469, A 1609, A 5688 (prior-session bills), indicating a pattern of interest in linking or highlighting financial disclosure information in legislative processes.

Potential Impact and Considerations

  • Public Access: Likely improves accessibility to ethics and financial information for voters and researchers.
  • Implementation: Requires changes to both state and campaign websites, potentially involving state and campaign communications teams to add and maintain links.
  • Enforcement: Would rely on existing ethics/campaign finance enforcement mechanisms; the bill’s text would clarify penalties or remedies if a link is not provided.
  • Political and administrative feasibility: As an amended bill (A2578A), subsequent floor considerations and potential refinements may affect timing and scope.

This summary focuses on the substantive elements currently available: the bill’s purpose, provisions, affected parties, and its legislative status and trajectory.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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