Since taking office in 2007, Comptroller DiNapoli has proposed legislation to increase accountability and transparency of New York state and local government. These efforts have focused on reforming not only the investment practices of the Common Retirement Fund, the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, the New York Police and Fire Retirement System, but also the State budget process, state procurement practices and school accountability. Comptroller DiNapoli is committed to strengthening New York’s laws to:
- Ensure accountability, transparency and appropriate spending of taxpayer dollars;
- Stop fraud and abuse;
- Improve the effectiveness of government programs; and
- Protect the interests of New York’s citizens.
Legislative Session 2023–2024
2024 Proposed Legislation:
Introduced
- Examination of Sealed Records – S.9729 (Hoylman-Sigal) – Relates to the examination of certain sealed records by the New York State Comptroller.
Passed the Senate
- Protest Procedures – A.7405/S.6942 (McDonald/Cooney) – Provides for bid protest procedures for state agencies and public authorities.
- NYS 529 Program, Scholarships and Grants – S.9700 (Stavisky) – Authorizes the State to open 529 accounts to support scholarships and grant programs.
- Prohibits Campaign Contributions During an Active Procurement – S.9697 (Myrie) – Makes it unlawful for a vendor to make, either directly or indirectly, any contribution to a statewide elected official, a candidate for a statewide elected office, or their authorized political committee, during a certain restricted period; requires a candidate, officeholder, or political committee that receives such contributions to return or refund the contributions forthwith; requires procurement contracts to contain a statement that the vendor awarded the contract has not made any such contributions.
Passed Both Houses
- Expedited Payments of Unclaimed Funds – A.10219/S.9410 (McDonald/Sepulveda) – Relates to expedited payments of abandoned property under a certain monetary threshold.
- Public Posting of Certain Contracts – A.10281/S.9171 (Solages/Cooney) – Requires a public listing of certain emergency and exempted contracts, which are otherwise subject to the approval of the State Comptroller.
- NYSLRS Ordinary Death Benefit – A.10570/S.9812-A (Zebrowski/Skoufis) – Authorizes beneficiaries to choose pension benefits or a death benefit in certain circumstances.
Signed by the Governor
- NYS 529 Program, Qualified Withdrawals – Signed as Chapter 310 of the Laws of 2024, A.10209/S.9701 (McDonald/Stavisky) – Provides that the payment of principal and interest on a qualified education loan and Roth IRA rollovers shall be qualified withdrawals under the New York state college choice tuition savings program.
2023
- Constitutional Amendment – Passed both houses, A.3776/S.4597 (Conrad/Martinez) – Relates to excluding certain indebtedness for the construction of sewage facilities in determining current local debt limitation.
- Exclusion of Indebtedness for Sewage Facilities – Signed as Chapter 641 of Laws of 2023, A.5056/S.6940 (Conrad/Martinez) – Relates to extending the exclusion of indebtedness contracted for sewage facilities.
- Public Posting of Certain Contracts – Passed both houses and vetoed by the Governor, A.7404/S.6941 (Solages/Cooney) – Requires the public posting of certain contracts otherwise subject to prior approval of the comptroller.
- Protest Procedures – A.7405/S.6942 (McDonald/Cooney) – Provides for bid protest procedures for state agencies and public authorities.