Legislation has been introduced to amend certain provisions of the Judiciary Law pertaining to the operations of the Commission on Judicial Conduct, consistent with recommendations the Commission itself has advocated since its inception in 1978.

The bills would (1) codify the process by which the Commission’s annual budget request is submitted to the Legislature, (2) make Commission proceedings public when formal disciplinary charges are served on a judge, and (3) extend the Commission’s authority to impose discipline on a judge notwithstanding the judge’s resignation from office.

The language and status of the bills are available on the websites of the New York State Senate and Assembly, via the following links:

Senate Bill S4398

Assembly Bill A04908

Support from Civic Organizations

A respected and influential group of civic organizations has expressed support for this legislation:

• Citizens Union of the City of New York
• Reinvent Albany
• Common Cause New York
• League of Women Voters of New York
• NYPIRG (New York Public Interest Research Group)
• Scrutinize
• The Sexual Harassment Working Group (Harassment Free New York)

The group issued a joint memo of support urging the Legislature to pass the bill and the governor to sign it.