New York State Consolidated Laws
Section 74 of the Public Officers' Law.
Section 74. Code of ethics.
1. Definition. As used in this section:
The term "state agency" shall mean any state department, or division, board,
commission, or bureau of any state department
or any public benefit
corporation or public authority at least one
of whose members is
appointed by the governor.
The term "legislative employee" shall mean any officer or employee
of
the legislature but it shall not include members of the legislature.
2. Rule with respect to conflicts of
interest. No officer or
employee of a state agency, member of the legislature
or legislative
employee should have any interest, financial or
otherwise, direct or
indirect, or engage in any business or transaction
or professional
activity or incur any obligation of any nature, which is in substantial
conflict with the proper discharge of his duties in the public interest.
3. Standards.
a. No officer or employee of
a state agency, member of the
legislature or legislative employee should accept other employment which
will impair his independence of judgment in the exercise of his official
duties.
b. No officer or employee of
a state agency, member of the
legislature or legislative employee should accept employment or
engage
in any business or professional activity
which will require him to
disclose confidential information which he has gained by reason of
his
official position or authority.
c. No officer or employee of
a state agency, member of the
legislature or legislative employee should
disclose confidential
information acquired by him in the course of his official duties nor use
such information to further his personal interests.
d. No officer or employee of
a state agency, member of the
legislature or legislative employee should use or attempt to
use his
official position to secure unwarranted privileges
or exemptions for
himself or others.
e. No officer or employee of
a state agency, member of the
legislature or legislative employee should engage in any transaction
as
representative or agent of the state with any business entity
in which
he has a direct or indirect financial interest that might
reasonably
tend to conflict with the proper discharge of his official duties.
f. An officer or employee of
a state agency, member of the
legislature or legislative employee should not by
his conduct give
reasonable basis for the impression that
any person can improperly
influence him or unduly enjoy his favor in the
performance of his
official duties, or that he is affected by the kinship, rank,
position
or influence of any party or person.
g. An officer or employee of a state
agency should abstain from
making personal investments in enterprises which
he has reason to
believe may be directly involved in decisions to be made by him or which
will otherwise create substantial conflict between his
duty in the
public interest and his private interest.
h. An officer or employee of a
state agency, member of the
legislature or legislative employee should endeavor to pursue a
course
of conduct which will not raise suspicion among the public
that he is
likely to be engaged in acts that are in violation of his trust.
i. No officer or employee of a state agency employed on a full-time
basis nor any firm or association of which such an officer or
employee
is a member nor corporation a substantial portion of the stock of
which
is owned or controlled directly or indirectly
by such officer or
employee, should sell goods or services to any person, firm, corporation
or association which is licensed or whose rates are fixed by the
state
agency in which such officer or employee serves or is employed.
j. If any officer or employee of a state agency shall have
a
financial interest, direct or indirect, having a value of ten
thousand
dollars or more in any activity which is subject to the jurisdiction
of
a regulatory agency, he should file with the secretary
of state a
written statement that he has such a financial interest in such activity
which statement shall be open to public inspection.
4. Violations. In addition to any penalty
contained in any other
provision of law any such officer, member
or employee who shall
knowingly and intentionally violate any of
the provisions of this
section may be fined, suspended or removed from office or employment
in
the manner provided by law.