A 7790: Establishes the commission on public officer investigation; provides for an independent commission to review matters concerning the public peace, public safety and public justice and the alleged commission of an indictable offense by certain public officials; provides that after such review, if the commission has found a substantial basis to conclude that a violation of the law has occurred, the commission shall authorize a full investigation by the attorney general.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7790 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY April 10, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. VANEL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the commission on public officer investigation The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 63-e 2 to read as follows: 3 § 63-e. Commission on public officer investigation. 1. There is estab- 4 lished within the department of law the commission on public officer 5 investigation which shall undertake a comprehensive review of matters 6 concerning the public peace, public safety and public justice and the 7 alleged commission of an indictable offense by certain public officials. 8 After such review, if the commission has found a substantial basis to 9 conclude that an individual has violated the law of this state, the 10 commission shall authorize a full investigation by the attorney general. 11 2. When the commission receives a complaint alleging a violation of 12 the law of this state by statewide elected officials, members of the 13 legislature, employees of the legislature, state officers and employees, 14 as defined in sections seventy-three and seventy-three-a of the public 15 officers law and candidates for statewide elected office, or if the 16 commission determines on its own initiative to review a possible 17 violation, the commission shall notify the individual in writing, 18 describe the alleged violation of law, provide a description of the 19 allegation and the evidence, if any, supporting such allegation and 20 provide the individual with a ten day period in which to submit a writ- 21 ten response, including any evidence, statements and proposed witnesses 22 relating to the activities cited as an alleged violation of law. The 23 commission shall, within fourteen days after a complaint is received or 24 a review is commenced on the commission's own initiative, vote on wheth- 25 er a substantial basis exists to conclude that an individual has EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11426-01-5 
 A. 7790 2 1 violated the law of this state. If at least seven members of the commis- 2 sion vote in favor of the existence of a substantial basis, a full 3 investigation of the matter by the attorney general shall be authorized. 4 3. Upon the vote of at least seven members of the commission that a 5 substantial basis exists to conclude that an individual has violated the 6 law of this state, the commission shall authorize a full investigation 7 by the attorney general. Written notice of such authorization shall 8 immediately be provided to the attorney general along with a report 9 detailing the review by the commission. If the commission determines at 10 any stage that there is no violation or that any potential violation has 11 been rectified, it shall advise the individual and the complainant, if 12 any, in writing within five days of such decision. 13 4. The jurisdiction of the commission when acting pursuant to this 14 section shall continue notwithstanding that a statewide elected official 15 or a state officer or employee or member of the legislature or legisla- 16 tive employee separates from state service or a candidate ceases to be a 17 candidate, provided that the commission notifies such individual of the 18 alleged violation of law within one year from their separation from 19 state service or their termination of candidacy. 20 5. The commission shall consist of thirteen members who shall possess 21 knowledge or experience in criminal law or law enforcement and who shall 22 be appointed as follows: five members shall be appointed by the tempo- 23 rary president of the senate, four members shall be appointed by the 24 speaker of the assembly, two members shall be appointed by the minority 25 leader of the senate and two members shall be appointed by the minority 26 leader of the assembly. 27 6. Members of the commission shall receive a per diem allowance for 28 each day spent in the performance of their duties under this article, 29 and, in addition thereto, shall be reimbursed for all reasonable 30 expenses actually and necessarily incurred by such member in the 31 performance of their duties under this section. 32 7. Members of the commission shall serve for terms of five years. Any 33 vacancy occurring on the commission shall be filled within thirty days 34 of its occurrence in the same manner as the member whose vacancy is 35 being filled was appointed. A person appointed to fill a vacancy occur- 36 ring other than by expiration of a term of office shall be appointed for 37 the unexpired term of the member they succeed. 38 8. The commission shall have jurisdiction to investigate but shall 39 have no jurisdiction to impose penalties for any violation of the law of 40 this state. 41 9. To effectuate the purposes of this section, the commission may 42 request and shall receive from the department and any other agency, 43 department, division, board, bureau or commission of the state, or any 44 political subdivision thereof, such assistance, information and data as 45 will enable the commission to properly carry out its powers and duties 46 as described in this section. 47 § 2. Subdivision 3 of section 63 of the executive law, as amended by 48 chapter 155 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows: 49 3. Upon request of the governor, comptroller, secretary of state, 50 commissioner of transportation, superintendent of financial services, 51 commissioner of taxation and finance, commissioner of motor vehicles, or 52 the state inspector general, or the head of any other department, 53 authority, division or agency of the state, or upon authorization by the 54 commission on public officer investigation created pursuant to section 55 63-e of this article, investigate the alleged commission of any indicta- 56 ble offense or offenses in violation of the law which the officer making 
 A. 7790 3 1 the request is especially required to execute or in relation to any 2 matters connected with such department, and [to] prosecute the person or 3 persons believed to have committed the same and any crime or offense 4 arising out of such investigation or prosecution or both, including but 5 not limited to appearing before and presenting all such matters to a 6 grand jury. 7 § 3. Subdivision 8 of section 63 of the executive law, as amended by 8 chapter 451 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows: 9 8. Whenever in [his] their judgment the public interest requires it, 10 the attorney-general may, with the approval of the governor, and when 11 directed by the governor or the commission on public officer investi- 12 gation created pursuant to section 63-e of this article, shall, inquire 13 into matters concerning the public peace, public safety and public 14 justice. For such purpose [he] the attorney-general may, in [his] their 15 discretion, and without civil service examination, appoint and employ, 16 and at pleasure remove, such deputies, officers and other persons as [he 17 deems] they deem necessary, determine their duties and, with the 18 approval of the governor, fix their compensation. All appointments made 19 pursuant to this subdivision shall be immediately reported to the gover- 20 nor, and shall not be reported to any other state officer or department. 21 Payments of salaries and compensation of officers and employees and of 22 the expenses of the inquiry shall be made out of funds provided by the 23 legislature for such purposes, which shall be deposited in a bank or 24 trust company in the names of the governor and the attorney-general, 25 payable only on the draft or check of the attorney-general, counter- 26 signed by the governor, and such disbursements shall be subject to no 27 audit except by the governor and the attorney-general. The attorney-gen- 28 eral, [his] their deputy, or other officer, designated by [him] the 29 attorney-general, is empowered to subpoena witnesses, compel their 30 attendance, examine them under oath before [himself] themself or a 31 magistrate and require that any books, records, documents or papers 32 relevant or material to the inquiry be turned over to [him] them for 33 inspection, examination or audit, pursuant to the civil practice law and 34 rules. If a person subpoenaed to attend upon such inquiry fails to obey 35 the command of a subpoena without reasonable cause, or if a person in 36 attendance upon such inquiry shall, without reasonable cause, refuse to 37 be sworn or to be examined or to answer a question or to produce a book 38 or paper, when ordered so to do by the officer conducting such inquiry, 39 [he] such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. It shall be the duty 40 of all public officers, their deputies, assistants and subordinates, 41 clerks and employees, and all other persons, to render and furnish to 42 the attorney-general, [his] their deputy or other designated officer, 43 when requested, all information and assistance in their possession and 44 within their power. Each deputy or other officer appointed or designated 45 to conduct such inquiry shall make a weekly report in detail to the 46 attorney-general, in form to be approved by the governor and the attor- 47 ney-general, which report shall be in duplicate, one copy of which shall 48 be forthwith, upon its receipt by the attorney-general, transmitted by 49 [him] them to the governor. Any officer participating in such inquiry 50 and any person examined as a witness upon such inquiry who shall 51 disclose to any person other than the governor or the attorney-general 52 the name of any witness examined or any information obtained upon such 53 inquiry, except as directed by the governor or the attorney-general, 54 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. 55 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.