Resources
NY Reform
Governor Cuomo’s Bold Reform Agenda to Fix Albany
New York, NY- The Brennan Center for Justice issued the following statement today after Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed numerous ethics and election reforms - including a unitary independent ethics commission and public financing of elections -in his first State of the State speech this afternoon.
Press Releases
– 01/05/11
Executive Orders
Today in Albany, the group Reinvent Albany, New York Public Interest Research Group, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School, and Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO) at SUNY New Paltz released their report Executive Orders: Actions the Governor can take to make New York government more open, accountable and democratic.
The report includes eleven model executive orders that Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo can use to open up New York State government, increase the accountability of state agencies and reduce barriers to voting. An executive order is a governor’s declaration which has the force of law, and does not require legislation to take effect. The orders are centered on the basic goal of empowering the citizenry with more and better information about what its government is doing, and how it is spending tax payer dollars.
Publications
Authored by: Gerald Benjamin, Blair Horner, John Kaehny, and Lawrence Norden
– 11/23/10
New York Passes Landmark Legislation to End Prison-Based Gerrymandering
New York - Last night, the New York State Legislature passed a landmark piece of legislation to end prison-based gerrymandering. This bill comes on the heels of another important policy, passed and signed into law in June, intended to educate people with felony convictions about their right to vote in New York.
Press Releases
– 08/04/10
New York’s New Voting System Procedure Could Cost Tens of Thousands of Lost Votes
Press Releases
– 06/28/10
New York State Board of Elections Violates Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act
New York’s new electronic voting machines have the same problem that caused overvoting problems in Florida’s 2008 election, and, if not corrected, could disenfranchise 40,000 to 50,000 New York voters.
Press Releases
– 04/20/10
Notice of Unprecleared Voting Change in New York City
The New York State Board of Elections has implemented procedures that deviate from New York law and previous practice in two ways: A: the notification that voters receive when a voter casts an invalid, overvoted ballot; and B: the manner in which the voting system handles that ballot. This letter outlines the details of these procedures and how they diverge from NY law.
Statements & Testimony
Authored by: Lawrence Norden
– 04/20/10
NYC Bar Supports Client Disclosure Requirement for Attorney-Legislators
There is no basis for the claims by some legislators that information about the part-time law practices many maintain alongside their official duties, such as the identity of their clients, is privileged and confidential. The NYC Bar report, issued today, refutes this.
Statements & Testimony
Authored by: Kelly Williams
– 02/03/10
State lawmakers’ first step must be basic reform
New York’s broken system needs some basic mending before they get down to polishing the bills. The needs for ethics and campaign finance reform are immediate.
Commentary
Authored by: Ciara Torres-Spelliscy
– 01/13/10
Ethics Reform Should Include Open, Public Discussion
The Brennan Center is pleased to see the New York State Legislature committed to passing ethics reform, but the proposal must be subject to public scrutiny.
Press Releases
Authored by: Lawrence Norden
– 01/13/10
Letter to New York Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Reform Regarding Committee Process
Outlines steps that the New York State Senate must take to reform the committee process
Statements & Testimony
Authored by: Lawrence Norden
– 11/11/09