Relates to granting the legislature the power to direct the attorney-general by concurrent resolution to inquire into matters concerning the public peace…

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic14
• Republican1

This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Andrew Gounardes says this is needed

Section 63 of the Executive Law allows Attorneys General to investigate and prosecute potentially illegal misconduct by executives and agency officials when the officials themselves request such investigation pursuant to subdivision 3 of such section. Alternatively, an Attorney General may pursue an investigation if it is a matter of "public peace, public safety and public justice" under subdivision 8, but only with the express permission of the Governor or if directed by them. As part of a subdivision 8 investigation, the Governor is granted control over salary levels for appointments made to implement the investigation, immediate access to names of candidates for such appointments, power over disbursement of funds payable only by a check of the Attorney General, which the Governor must countersign, the ability to audit - 4 disburse- ments, and access to a weekly report, in a format approved by the Gover- nor, from the deputies and other officers conducting the investigation. This process, in which the Governor both initiates and referees an investigation into themselves, falls far short of delivering the inde- pendence and autonomy that an Attorney General needs in order to hold those in power truly accountable. This bill aims to correct this injus- tice by establishing a process by which the legislature may refer inves- tigations to the Attorney General under Executive Law § 63(8), independ- ent of the Executive. The bill provides that pertinent case information such as appointments and witnesses may be shared only among the deputies carrying out the investigation, the Attorney General, and the legisla- ture, and that these actors are empowered to take any measures they deem necessary to shield the investigation from inappropriate attempts to influence and subvert it. The alternative roadmap to justice established by this bill will help assure the people of New York that matters of alleged misconduct by public officials are investigated thoroughly and with integrity.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.