Chapter 68 - CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Section 2600.

Section 2600.

  § 2600. Preamble. Public service is a public trust. These prohibitions
on  the  conduct  of  public  servants are enacted to preserve the trust
placed in the public servants of the city, to promote public  confidence
in  government,  to  protect the integrity of government decision-making
and to enhance government efficiency.

Section 2601.

Section 2601.

  § 2601. Definitions. As used in this chapter,
  1.  "Advisory  committee" means a committee, council, board or similar
entity constituted to provide advice or recommendations to the city  and
having no authority to take a final action on behalf of the city or take
any  action  which  would  have  the effect of conditioning, limiting or
requiring any final action by any other agency, or to  take  any  action
which is authorized by law.
  2.  "Agency"  means a city, county, borough or other office, position,
administration,  department,  division,   bureau,   board,   commission,
authority,   corporation,   advisory   committee   or  other  agency  of
government, the expenses of which are paid in whole or in part from  the
city treasury, and shall include but not be limited to, the council, the
offices  of  each  elected  official,  the board of education, community
school boards, community boards, the financial services corporation, the
health and hospitals corporation, the  public  development  corporation,
and the New York city housing authority, but shall not include any court
or  any  corporation  or  institution  maintaining or operating a public
library, museum, botanical garden, arboretum, tomb,  memorial  building,
aquarium, zoological garden or similar facility.
  3. "Agency served by a public servant" means (a) in the case of a paid
public  servant,  the agency employing such public servant or (b) in the
case of an unpaid public servant, the agency employing the official  who
has  appointed  such  unpaid public servant unless the body to which the
unpaid public servant has been appointed does not report to, or  is  not
under  the  control  of, the official or the agency of the official that
has appointed the unpaid public servant, in which case the agency served
by the unpaid public servant is the body  to  which  the  unpaid  public
servant has been appointed.
  4.  "Appear"  means to make any communication, for compensation, other
than  those involving ministerial matters.
  5. A person or firm "associated" with  a  public  servant  includes  a
spouse,  domestic  partner, child, parent or sibling; a person with whom
the public servant has a business or other financial  relationship;  and
each  firm  in  which  the  public  servant  has  a present or potential
interest.
  6. "Blind trust" means a trust in  which  a  public  servant,  or  the
public servant's spouse, domestic partner, or unemancipated child, has a
beneficial  interest,  the  holdings  and sources of income of which the
public servant, the  public  servant's  spouse,  domestic  partner,  and
unemancipated  child  have  no  knowledge,  and which meets requirements
established by rules  of  the  board,  which  shall  include  provisions
regarding  the  independent authority and discretion of the trustee, and
the  trustee's  confidential  treatment  of  information  regarding  the
holdings and sources of income of the trust.
  7.  "Board"  means the conflicts of interest board established by this
chapter.
  8. "Business dealings with the city" means any  transaction  with  the
city  involving  the  sale, purchase, rental, disposition or exchange of
any goods, services, or property, any license, permit, grant or benefit,
and any performance  of  or  litigation  with  respect  to  any  of  the
foregoing,  but  shall  not  include  any transaction involving a public
servant's residence or any ministerial matter.
  9. "City" means the city of New York and includes  an  agency  of  the
city.
  10.  "Elected  official"  means  a  person  holding  office  as mayor,
comptroller,  public  advocate,  borough  president  or  member  of  the
council.

  11.  "Firm"  means  sole  proprietorship,  joint venture, partnership,
corporation and any other form of enterprise, but shall  not  include  a
public  benefit  corporation,  local  development  corporation  or other
similar entity as defined by rule of the board.
  12.  "Interest"  means  an  ownership interest in a firm or a position
with a firm.
  13. "Law" means state and local law, this charter,  and  rules  issued
pursuant thereto.
  14. "Member" means a member of the board.
  15.  "Ministerial  matter"  means an administrative act, including the
issuance of a license, permit or other permission by the city, which  is
carried   out  in  a  prescribed  manner  and  which  does  not  involve
substantial personal discretion.
  16. "Ownership interest" means an interest in a firm held by a  public
servant,   or   the   public  servant's  spouse,  domestic  partner,  or
unemancipated child, which exceeds  five  percent  of  the  firm  or  an
investment  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in cash or other form of
commitment, whichever is less, or five percent or  twenty-five  thousand
dollars  of  the  firm's indebtedness, whichever is less, and any lesser
interest in a firm when the public  servant,  or  the  public  servant's
spouse,  domestic  partner,  or unemancipated child exercises managerial
control or responsibility regarding any such firm, but shall not include
interests held in any pension plan, deferred compensation plan or mutual
fund, the investments of which are not controlled by the public servant,
the public servant's spouse, domestic partner, or  unemancipated  child,
or in any blind trust which holds or acquires an ownership interest. The
amount  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  specified  herein  shall  be
modified by the board pursuant to subdivision a  of  section  twenty-six
hundred three.
  17.  "Particular  matter"  means  any  case,  proceeding, application,
request for a ruling or benefit, determination, contract limited to  the
duration  of  the  contract as specified therein, investigation, charge,
accusation, arrest, or other similar action which  involves  a  specific
party or parties, including actions leading up to the particular matter;
provided  that a particular matter shall not be construed to include the
proposal, consideration, or enactment of local laws  or  resolutions  by
the  council,  or  any  action  on  the  budget  or  text  of the zoning
resolution.
  18. "Position" means a  position  in  a  firm,  such  as  an  officer,
director,  trustee,  employee,  or  any  management  position,  or as an
attorney, agent, broker, or consultant  to  the  firm,  which  does  not
constitute an ownership interest in the firm.
  19.  "Public  servant"  means all officials, officers and employees of
the city, including members of community boards and members of  advisory
committees,  except  unpaid  members of advisory committees shall not be
public servants.
  20. "Regular employee" means all elected officials and public servants
whose primary employment, as defined by rule of the board, is  with  the
city,  but shall not include members of advisory committees or community
boards.
  21. a. "Spouse" means a husband or wife of a public servant who is not
legally separated from such public servant.
  b. "Domestic partner" means persons who  have  a  registered  domestic
partnership  pursuant  to  section  3-240  of the administrative code, a
domestic partnership  registered  in  accordance  with  executive  order
number  123,  dated August 7, 1989, or a domestic partnership registered
in accordance with executive order number 48, dated January 7, 1993.

  22. "Supervisory official" means any person having  the  authority  to
control or direct the work of a public servant.
  23.  "Unemancipated  child"  means  any  son,  daughter,  step-son  or
step-daughter who is under the age of eighteen, unmarried and living  in
the household of the public servant.

Section 2602.

Section 2602.

  §  2602. Conflicts of interest board. a. There shall be a conflicts of
interest board consisting of five members, appointed by the  mayor  with
the  advice  and  consent  of  the  council. The mayor shall designate a
chair.
  b. Members shall be chosen for their  independence,  integrity,  civic
commitment  and  high  ethical standards. No person while a member shall
hold any public office, seek election to any public office, be a  public
employee in any jurisdiction, hold any political party office, or appear
as a lobbyist before the city.
  c. Each member shall serve for a term of six years; provided, however,
that  of the three members first appointed, one shall be appointed for a
term to expire on March thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety, one shall
be appointed for a  term  to  expire  on  March  thirty-first,  nineteen
hundred  ninety-two  and  one shall be appointed for a term to expire on
March thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety-four, and of  the  remaining
members,  one  shall  be  appointed  for  a  term  to  expire  on  March
thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety-two and one shall be appointed for
a term to expire on March thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety-four. If
the mayor has not submitted to the council a nomination for  appointment
of  a  successor at least sixty days prior to the expiration of the term
of the member whose term is expiring, the term of the member  in  office
shall  be  extended for an additional year and the term of the successor
to such member shall be shortened by an equal amount  of  time.  If  the
council  fails  to  act  within  forty-five  days  of  receipt  of  such
nomination from  the  mayor,  the  nomination  shall  be  deemed  to  be
confirmed.  No member shall serve for more than two consecutive six-year
terms. The three initial nominations by the mayor shall be made  by  the
first  day  of  February,  nineteen  hundred eighty-nine, and both later
nominations by the mayor shall be  made  by  the  first  day  of  March,
nineteen hundred ninety.
  d.  Members  shall  receive  a per diem compensation, no less than the
highest amount paid to an official appointed to a  board  or  commission
with the advice and consent of the council and compensated on a per diem
basis, for each calendar day when performing the work of the board.
  e.  Members  of the board shall serve until their successors have been
confirmed. Any vacancy occurring other than  by  expiration  of  a  term
shall  be  filled  by nomination by the mayor made to the council within
sixty days of the creation of the vacancy, for the unexpired portion  of
the  term  of  the  member succeeded. If the council fails to act within
forty-five days of receipt  of  such  nomination  from  the  mayor,  the
nomination shall be deemed to be confirmed.
  f.  Members  may  be  removed  by the mayor for substantial neglect of
duty, gross misconduct in office, inability to discharge the  powers  or
duties  of office or violation of this section, after written notice and
opportunity for a reply.
  g. The board shall appoint a counsel to  serve  at  its  pleasure  and
shall employ or retain such other officers, employees and consultants as
are  necessary  to  exercise its powers and fulfill its obligations. The
authority of the counsel shall be  defined  in  writing,  provided  that
neither  the  counsel,  nor any other officer, employee or consultant of
the board shall be authorized to issue advisory    opinions,  promulgate
rules, issue subpoenas, issue final determinations of violations of this
chapter, or make final recommendations of or impose penalties. The board
may delegate its authority to issue advisory opinions to the chair.
  h.  The board shall meet at least once a month and at such other times
as the chair  may  deem  necessary.  Two  members  of  the  board  shall
constitute  a  quorum  and  all  acts  of  the  board  shall  be  by the
affirmative vote of at least two members of the board.

Section 2603.

Section 2603.

  §  2603.  Powers and obligations. a. Rules. The board shall promulgate
rules as are necessary to implement and interpret the provisions of this
chapter, consistent with the goal of providing clear guidance  regarding
prohibited  conduct.  The  board,  by  rule, shall once every four years
adjust the dollar amount established in subdivision sixteen  of  section
twenty-six  hundred  one  of  this  chapter  to  reflect  changes in the
consumer price index for the metropolitan  New  York-New  Jersey  region
published by the United States bureau of labor statistics.
  b.  Training and education. 1. The board shall have the responsibility
of informing public servants and assisting their  understanding  of  the
conflicts  of  interest  provisions  of this chapter. In fulfilling this
responsibility, the board shall develop educational materials  regarding
the  conflicts of interest provisions and related interpretive rules and
shall develop and administer an on-going program for  the  education  of
public servants regarding the provisions of this chapter.
  2.  (a)  The  board  shall  make  information  concerning this chapter
available and known to all public servants. On or before the  tenth  day
after  an individual becomes a public servant, such public servant shall
be provided with a copy  of  this  chapter  and  shall  sign  a  written
statement,  which shall be maintained in his or her personnel file, that
such public servant has received and read and  shall  conform  with  the
provisions of this chapter.
  (b)  Each  public servant shall undergo training provided by the board
in the provisions of this chapter on or before the sixtieth day after he
or she becomes a public servant, and periodically as appropriate  during
the  course  of  his  or  her city service. Every two years, each agency
shall develop and implement  an  appropriate  agency  training  plan  in
consultation  with  the board and the mayor's office of operations. Each
agency shall cooperate with the board in order to ensure that all public
servants in the agency receive the training required by this subdivision
and shall maintain records  documenting  such  training  and  the  dates
thereof.  The  training  required  by this subdivision may be in person,
provided either by the board itself or by agency  personnel  working  in
conjunction  with  the board, or through an automated or online training
program developed by the board.
  (c) The failure of a public servant to receive the  training  required
by  this  paragraph,  to  receive a copy of this chapter, or to sign the
statement required by this paragraph, or the failure of  the  agency  to
maintain the required statement on file or record of training completed,
shall  have  no effect on the duty of such public servant to comply with
this chapter or on the enforcement of the provisions thereof.
  c. Advisory opinions. 1. The board shall render advisory opinions with
respect to all matters covered by  this  chapter.  An  advisory  opinion
shall  be  rendered  on the request of a public servant or a supervisory
official of a public  servant  and  shall  apply  only  to  such  public
servant.  The request shall be in such form as the board may require and
shall be signed by the person making the request.  The  opinion  of  the
board  shall  be  based on such facts as are presented in the request or
subsequently submitted in a written, signed document.
  2. Advisory opinions shall be issued only  with  respect  to  proposed
future  conduct  or  action  by a public servant. A public servant whose
conduct or action is the subject of an advisory  opinion  shall  not  be
subject  to penalties or sanctions by virtue of acting or failing to act
due to a reasonable reliance on the opinion, unless material facts  were
omitted  or misstated in the request for an opinion. The board may amend
a previously issued advisory opinion after giving reasonable  notice  to
the  public  servant that it is reconsidering its opinion; provided that

such amended advisory opinion shall apply  only  to  future  conduct  or
action of the public servant.
  3.  The  board  shall  make  public  its  advisory  opinions with such
deletions as may be necessary to prevent disclosure of the indentity  of
any public servant or other involved party. The advisory opinions of the
board  shall  be  indexed by subject matter and cross-indexed by charter
section and rule number and such index shall be maintained on an  annual
and cumulative basis.
  4. Not later than the first day of September, nineteen hundred ninety,
the  board  shall initiate a rulemaking to adopt, as interpretive of the
provisions of this chapter, any advisory opinions of the board of ethics
constituted pursuant to chapter sixty-eight of the charter heretofore in
effect, which the board determines to be consistent  with  and  to  have
interpretive value in construing the provisions of this chapter.
  5.  For  the  purposes  of this subdivision, public servant includes a
prospective and  former  public  servant,  and  a  supervisory  official
includes a supervisory official who shall supervise a prospective public
servant  and  a  supervisory  official  who  supervised  a former public
servant.
  d.  Financial  disclosure.  1.  All  financial  disclosure  statements
required  to be completed and filed by public servants pursuant to state
or local law shall be filed by such public servants with the board.
  2. The board shall cause each statement filed with it to  be  examined
to  determine  if  there  has  been  compliance  with the applicable law
concerning financial disclosure and  to  determine  if  there  has  been
compliance with or violations of the provisions of this chapter.
  3.  The  board  shall  issue  rules concerning the filing of financial
disclosure statements for the purpose of ensuring compliance by the city
and all public servants with  the  applicable  provisions  of  financial
disclosure law.
  e.   Complaints.  1.  The  board  shall  receive  complaints  alleging
violations of this chapter.
  2. Whenever a written complaint is received by the board, it shall:
  (a) dismiss the complaint if it determines that no further  action  is
required by the board; or
  (b)  refer  the  complaint  to  the  commissioner  of investigation if
further investigation is required for the board to determine what action
is appropriate; or
  (c) make an initial determination that  there  is  probable  cause  to
believe  that a public servant has violated a provision of this chapter;
or
  (d) refer an alleged violation of this chapter  to  the  head  of  the
agency served by the public servant, if the board deems the violation to
be  minor  or  if  related  disciplinary charges are pending against the
public servant.
  3. For the purposes of this subdivision, a public servant  includes  a
former public servant.
  f.  Investigations.  1.  The  board shall have the power to direct the
department of investigation to conduct an investigation  of  any  matter
related   to  the  board's  responsibilities  under  this  chapter.  The
commissioner  of  investigation  shall,  within   a   reasonable   time,
investigate  any such matter and submit a confidential written report of
factual findings to the board.
  2. The commissioner of investigation shall make a confidential  report
to  the board concerning the results of all investigations which involve
or may involve violations of the provisions of this chapter, whether  or
not such investigations were made at the request of the board.

  g.  Referral  of  matters within the board's jurisdiction. 1. A public
servant or supervisory official of such public servant may  request  the
board  to  review  and  make a determination regarding a past or ongoing
action of such public servant. Such request shall be reviewed and  acted
upon  by  the  board  in  the same manner as a complaint received by the
board under subdivision e of this section.
  2. Whenever an agency receives a complaint  alleging  a  violation  of
this  chapter  or  determines  that a violation of this chapter may have
occurred, it shall refer such matter to the board. Such  referral  shall
be  reviewed  and  acted  upon  by  the  board  in  the same manner as a
complaint received by the board under subdivision e of this section.
  3. For the purposes of this subdivision,  public  servant  includes  a
former public servant, and a supervisory official includes a supervisory
official who supervised a former public servant.
  h.  Hearings. 1. If the board makes an initial determination, based on
a complaint, investigation or other information available to the  board,
that  there  is  probable  cause  to believe that the public servant has
violated a provision of this chapter, the board shall notify the  public
servant  of  its  determination  in  writing. The notice shall contain a
statement of the facts upon which the board relied for its determination
of probable cause and a statement of the  provisions  of  law  allegedly
violated.  The board shall also inform the public servant of the board's
procedural rules. Such public servant shall have a  reasonable  time  to
respond,  either  orally  or  in writing, and shall have the right to be
represented by counsel or any other person.
  2. If, after receipt of  the  public  servant's  response,  the  board
determines  that  there is no probable cause to believe that a violation
has occurred, the board shall dismiss the matter and inform  the  public
servant  in  writing of its decision. If, after the consideration of the
response by the public  servant,  the  board  determines  there  remains
probable  cause  to  believe  that a violation of the provisions of this
chapter has occurred, the board shall hold or direct  a  hearing  to  be
held  on the record to determine whether such violation has occurred, or
shall refer the matter to the appropriate agency if the  public  servant
is subject to the jurisdiction of any state law or collective bargaining
agreement  which  provides  for the conduct of disciplinary proceedings,
provided that when such a matter is referred to an  agency,  the  agency
shall consult with the board before issuing a final decision.
  3.  If  the board determines, after a hearing or the opportunity for a
hearing, that a public servant has violated provisions of this  chapter,
it  shall,  after  consultation  with  the  head of the agency served or
formerly served by the public servant, or in the case of an agency head,
with the mayor, issue an order either imposing such  penalties  provided
for  by  this  chapter  as  it  deems  appropriate, or recommending such
penalties to the head of the agency served or  formerly  served  by  the
public  servant,  or  in  the  case  of  an  agency  head, to the mayor;
provided, however, that the board shall  not  impose  penalties  against
members of the council, or public servants employed by the council or by
members  of the council, but may recommend to the council such penalties
as it deems appropriate. The order shall include findings  of  fact  and
conclusions  of  law.  When  a  penalty  is recommended, the head of the
agency or the council shall report to the board what action was taken.
  4. Hearings of the board shall not be public unless requested  by  the
public servant. The order and the board's findings and conclusions shall
be made public.
  5.  The  board  shall  maintain an index of all persons found to be in
violation of this chapter, by name, office and date of order. The  index

and  the determinations of probable cause and orders in such cases shall
be made available for public inspection and copying.
  6.  Nothing  contained  in  this section shall prohibit the appointing
officer of a public servant from terminating or  otherwise  disciplining
such   public  servant,  where  such  appointing  officer  is  otherwise
authorized to  do  so;  provided,  however,  that  such  action  by  the
appointing  officer  shall  not  preclude  the board from exercising its
powers and duties under this chapter with respect to the actions of  any
such public servant.
  7. For the purposes of this subdivision, the term public servant shall
include a former public servant.
  i. Annual report. The board shall submit an annual report to the mayor
and  the  council  in  accordance with section eleven hundred and six of
this charter. The report shall include a summary of the proceedings  and
activities  of  the  board,  a description of the education and training
conducted pursuant to the requirements of this  chapter,  a  statistical
summary  and  evaluation  of complaints and referrals received and their
disposition, such legislative and administrative recommendations as  the
board  deems  appropriate,  the  rules  of  the  board, and the index of
opinions and orders of that  year.  The  report,  which  shall  be  made
available  to  the  public,  shall  not  contain  information, which, if
disclosed, would constitute an unwarranted invasion of the privacy of  a
public servant.
  j. Revision. The board shall review the provisions of this chapter and
shall  recommend  to  the  council  from  time  to  time such changes or
additions as it may consider appropriate or desirable. Such  review  and
recommendation shall be made at least once every five years.
  k. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the records, reports,
memoranda  and files of the board shall be confidential and shall not be
subject to public scrutiny.

Section 2604.

Section 2604.

  §  2604.  Prohibited interests and conduct. a. Prohibited interests in
firms engaged in business dealings with the city.
  1. Except as provided in paragraph three below,
  (a) no public servant shall have an interest  in  a  firm  which  such
public  servant  knows  is  engaged in business dealings with the agency
served by such public  servant;  provided,  however,  that,  subject  to
paragraph one of subdivision b of this section, an appointed member of a
community  board  shall  not  be prohibited from having an interest in a
firm which may be affected by an action on a matter before the community
or borough board, and
  (b) no regular employee shall have an interest in a  firm  which  such
regular  employee  knows  is engaged in business dealings with the city,
except if such interest is in a firm whose shares are  publicly  traded,
as defined by rule of the board.
  2.  Prior to acquiring or accepting an interest in a firm whose shares
are publicly traded, a public servant may submit a  written  request  to
the  head of the agency served by the public servant for a determination
of whether such firm is engaged in business dealings with  such  agency.
Such  determination shall be in writing, shall be rendered expeditiously
and shall be binding on the city and the public servant with respect  to
the prohibition of subparagraph a of paragraph one of this subdivision.
  3.  An  individual  who,  prior  to  becoming a public servant, has an
ownership interest which would be prohibited by paragraph one above;  or
a  public  servant  who  has an ownership interest and did not know of a
business dealing which would cause the interest to be one prohibited  by
paragraph  one  above,  but  has  subsequently  gained knowledge of such
business dealing; or a public servant who holds  an  ownership  interest
which,  subsequent  to the public servant's acquisition of the interest,
enters into a business dealing which would cause the ownership  interest
to be one prohibited by paragraph one above; or a public servant who, by
operation   of  law,  obtains  an  ownership  interest  which  would  be
prohibited by paragraph one above shall,  prior  to  becoming  a  public
servant  or,  if already a public servant, within ten days of knowing of
the business dealing, either:
  (a) divest the ownership interest; or
  (b) disclose to the board such ownership interest and comply with  its
order.
  4.  When  an individual or public servant discloses an interest to the
board pursuant to paragraph three of this subdivision, the  board  shall
issue an order setting forth its determination as to whether or not such
interest,  if maintained, would be in conflict with the proper discharge
of the public servant's official duties. In making  such  determination,
the  board  shall  take  into account the nature of the public servant's
official duties, the manner in which the interest may be affected by any
action of the city, and the appearance of conflict to the public. If the
board determines a conflict exists,  the  board's  order  shall  require
divestiture  or  such  other  action  as  it deems appropriate which may
mitigate such a conflict, taking into account the  financial  burden  of
any decision on the public servant.
  5. For the purposes of this subdivision, the agency served by
  (a)  an elected official, other than a member of the council, shall be
the executive branch of the city government,
  (b) a public servant who is a deputy mayor, the director of the office
of  management  and  budget,  commissioner  of  citywide  administrative
services,  corporation counsel, commissioner of finance, commissioner of
investigation or chair of the city planning commission, or who serves in
the executive branch of city government and is charged with  substantial

policy discretion involving city-wide policy as determined by the board,
shall be the executive branch of the city government,
  (c)  a  public servant designated by a member of the board of estimate
to act in the place of such member as a member of the board of estimate,
shall include the board of estimate, and
  (d) a member of the council shall be the  legislative  branch  of  the
city government.
  6.  For  the  purposes  of  subdivisions a and b of section twenty-six
hundred six, a public servant shall be deemed  to  know  of  a  business
dealing  with  the city if such public servant should have known of such
business dealing with the city.
  b. Prohibited conduct. 1. A public servant who has an  interest  in  a
firm which is not prohibited by subdivision a of this section, shall not
take  any  action  as  a  public  servant  particularly  affecting  that
interest, except that
  (a) in the case of an elected  official,  such  action  shall  not  be
prohibited,  but the elected official shall disclose the interest to the
conflicts of interest board, and on the official records of the  council
or the board of estimate in the case of matters before those bodies,
  (b)  in  the  case of an appointed community board member, such action
shall not be prohibited, but no member may vote on any matter before the
community or borough board which may result in  a  personal  and  direct
economic  gain  to  the  member  or  any  person with whom the member is
associated, and
  (c) in the case of all other public servants, if the interest is  less
than  ten thousand dollars, such action shall not be prohibited, but the
public servant shall disclose the interest to the board.
  2. No public servant shall engage  in  any  business,  transaction  or
private  employment,  or  have  any financial or other private interest,
direct or indirect, which is in conflict with the  proper  discharge  of
his or her official duties.
  3.  No  public servant shall use or attempt to use his or her position
as a public servant to obtain any  financial  gain,  contract,  license,
privilege  or  other  private or personal advantage, direct or indirect,
for the public servant or any person or firm associated with the  public
servant.
  4.  No  public  servant  shall  disclose  any confidential information
concerning the property, affairs or government  of  the  city  which  is
obtained  as  a result of the official duties of such public servant and
which is not  otherwise  available  to  the  public,  or  use  any  such
information to advance any direct or indirect financial or other private
interest of the public servant or of any other person or firm associated
with the public servant; provided, however, that this shall not prohibit
any  public  servant  from disclosing any information concerning conduct
which the public servant knows or reasonably believes to involve  waste,
inefficiency, corruption, criminal activity or conflict of interest.
  5.  No  public  servant  shall accept any valuable gift, as defined by
rule of the board, from any person or firm  which  such  public  servant
knows  is  or  intends  to  become engaged in business dealings with the
city, except that nothing  contained  herein  shall  prohibit  a  public
servant  from  accepting  a gift which is customary on family and social
occasions.
  6. No  public  servant  shall,  for  compensation,  represent  private
interests  before  any  city  agency or appear directly or indirectly on
behalf of private interests in matters involving the city. For a  public
servant who is not a regular employee, this prohibition shall apply only
to the agency served by the public servant.

  7.  No  public servant shall appear as attorney or counsel against the
interests of the city in any litigation to which the city is a party, or
in any action or proceeding in which the city, or any public servant  of
the  city,  acting  in  the course of official duties, is a complainant,
provided  that  this  paragraph  shall  not  apply  to  a public servant
employed by an elected official who appears as attorney or  counsel  for
that  elected  official in any litigation, action or proceeding in which
the elected official has standing and authority to participate by virtue
of his or her capacity as an elected official, including any part  of  a
litigation,  action  or  proceeding  prior  to  or  at which standing or
authority to participate is determined. This paragraph shall not in  any
way  be  construed  to  expand or limit the standing or authority of any
elected official to participate in any litigation, action or proceeding,
nor shall it in any way affect the powers and duties of the  corporation
counsel.  For  a  public  servant  who  is  not a regular employee, this
prohibition shall apply only to the agency served by the public servant.
  8. No public servant shall give opinion  evidence  as  a  paid  expert
against  the interests of the city in any civil litigation brought by or
against the city. For a public servant who is not  a  regular  employee,
this  prohibition  shall  apply  only to the agency served by the public
servant.
  9. No public servant shall,
  (a)  coerce  or  attempt  to  coerce,  by  intimidation,  threats   or
otherwise, any public servant to engage in political activities, or
  (b)  request  any  subordinate  public  servant  to  participate  in a
political campaign. For purposes of this subparagraph, participation  in
a  political campaign shall include managing or aiding in the management
of a campaign, soliciting votes or canvassing voters  for  a  particular
candidate  or  performing  any  similar  acts which are unrelated to the
public servant's duties or responsibilities.  Nothing  contained  herein
shall  prohibit  a  public  servant from requesting a subordinate public
servant to speak on behalf of a candidate,  or  provide  information  or
perform  other  similar acts, if such acts are related to matters within
the public servant's duties or responsibilities.
  10. No public servant shall give or promise to give any portion of the
public servant's compensation, or any money, or valuable  thing  to  any
person  in  consideration  of having been or being nominated, appointed,
elected or employed as a public servant.
  11. No public servant shall, directly of indirectly,
  (a) compel,  induce  or  request  any  person  to  pay  any  political
assessment,  subscription  or contribution, under threat of prejudice to
or promise of or to secure advantage  in  rank,  compensation  or  other
job-related status or function,
  (b)  pay  or  promise to pay any political assessment, subscription or
contribution in consideration of having been or being nominated, elected
or employed as such public servant  or  to  secure  advantage  in  rank,
compensation or other job-related status or function, or
  (c)  compel,  induce  or request any subordinate public servant to pay
any political assessment, subscription or contribution.
  12. No public servant, other than an elected official, who is a deputy
mayor, or head of an agency or who is charged  with  substantial  policy
discretion as defined by rule of the board, shall directly or indirectly
request any person to make or pay any political assessment, subscription
or  contribution for any candidate for an elective office of the city or
for any elected official who is a candidate  for  any  elective  office;
provided  that nothing contained in this paragraph shall be construed to
prohibit such public  servant  from  speaking  on  behalf  of  any  such
candidate  or  elected  official  at  an  occasion where a request for a

political assessment,  subscription  or  contribution  may  be  made  by
others.
  13.  No public servant shall receive compensation except from the city
for performing any official duty or accept or receive any gratuity  from
any  person  whose  interests  may  be  affected by the public servant's
official action.
  14. No public servant shall  enter  into  any  business  or  financial
relationship   with   another  public  servant  who  is  a  superior  or
subordinate of such public servant.
  15. No elected  official,  deputy  mayor,  deputy  to  a  citywide  or
boroughwide elected official, head of an agency, or other public servant
who  is charged with substantial policy discretion as defined by rule of
the board may be a member of  the  national  or  state  committee  of  a
political  party,  serve  as  an assembly district leader of a political
party or serve as the chair or as an officer of the county committee  or
county executive committee of a political party, except that a member of
the  council may serve as an assembly district leader or hold any lesser
political office as defined by rule of the board.
  c. This section shall not prohibit:
  1. an elected official from appearing without compensation before  any
city  agency  on  behalf of constituents or in the performance of public
official or civic obligations;
  2. a public  servant  from  accepting  or  receiving  any  benefit  or
facility  which  is  provided  for  or  made  available  to  citizens or
residents, or classes of citizens or residents, under housing  or  other
general welfare legislation or in the exercise of the police power;
  3.  a  public  servant  from  obtaining  a  loan  from  any  financial
institution upon terms  and  conditions  available  to  members  of  the
public;
  4.   any  physician,  dentist,  optometrist,  podiatrist,  pharmacist,
chiropractor or other person who is  eligible  to  provide  services  or
supplies  under  title eleven of article five of the social services law
and is  receiving  any  salary  or  other  compensation  from  the  city
treasury,  from  providing professional services and supplies to persons
who are entitled to benefits under such title,  provided  that,  in  the
case of services or supplies provided by those who perform audit, review
or  other  administrative  functions  pursuant to the provisions of such
title, the New York state department  of  health  reviews  and  approves
payment for such services or supplies and provided further that there is
no  conflict with their official duties; nothing in this paragraph shall
be construed to authorize payment to such persons under such  title  for
services  or supplies furnished in the course of their employment by the
city;
  5. any member of the uniformed force of  the  police  department  from
being  employed in the private security field, provided that such member
has received approval from the  police  commissioner  therefor  and  has
complied  with  all  rules  and  regulations  promulgated  by the police
commissioner relating to such employment;
  6. a public servant from acting as attorney, agent, broker,  employee,
officer,  director  or consultant for any not-for-profit corporation, or
association, or other such entity which  operates  on  a  not-for-profit
basis, interested in business dealings with the city, provided that:
  (a)  such  public  servant  takes  no  direct or indirect part in such
business dealings;
  (b) such not-for-profit entity has no direct or indirect  interest  in
any  business  dealings with the city agency in which the public servant
is employed and is not subject to supervision, control or regulation  by
such  agency, except where it is determined by the head of an agency, or

by the mayor where the public servant  is  an  agency  head,  that  such
activity is in furtherance of the purposes and interests of the city;
  (c)  all  such activities by such public servant shall be performed at
times during which  the  public  servant  is  not  required  to  perform
services for the city; and
  (d)  such  public  servant receives no salary or other compensation in
connection with such activities;
  7. a public servant, other than elected officials,  employees  in  the
office  of property management of the department of housing preservation
and development, employees in the department of citywide  administrative
services  who  are  designated  by  the  commissioner of such department
pursuant to this paragraph, and the commissioners, deputy commissioners,
assistant  commissioners  and  others  of  equivalent  ranks   in   such
departments,  or the successors to such departments, from bidding on and
purchasing any city-owned real property at public auction or sealed  bid
sale,  or from purchasing any city-owned residential building containing
six or less dwelling units through negotiated sale, provided  that  such
public servant, in the course of city employment, did not participate in
decisions  or  matters affecting the disposition of the city property to
be purchased and has no such matters  under  active  consideration.  The
commissioner  of  citywide  administrative  services shall designate all
employees of the department of citywide  administrative  services  whose
functions relate to citywide real property matters to be subject to this
paragraph; or
  8.  a  public  servant  from participating in collective bargaining or
from paying union or shop fees or dues or, if such public servant  is  a
union  member,  from  requesting  a  subordinate public servant who is a
member of such union to contribute to union political action  committees
or other similar entities.
  d.  Post-employment  restrictions. 1. No public servant shall solicit,
negotiate for or accept any position (i) from which, after leaving  city
service,   the   public   servant   would  be  disqualified  under  this
subdivision, or (ii) with any person or firm who or which is involved in
a particular matter with the city, while such public servant is actively
considering, or is directly concerned  or  personally  participating  in
such particular matter on behalf of the city.
  2.  No  former public servant shall, within a period of one year after
termination of such person's service with the city,  appear  before  the
city  agency  served  by  such  public  servant; provided, however, that
nothing contained herein shall be deemed to  prohibit  a  former  public
servant  from making communications with the agency served by the public
servant which are incidental to an otherwise permitted appearance in  an
adjudicative  proceeding  before  another  agency  or  body, or a court,
unless the proceeding was pending in the agency served during the period
of the public servant's service with that agency. For  the  purposes  of
this  paragraph,  the  agency served by a public servant designated by a
member of the board of estimate to act in the place of such member as  a
member of the board of estimate, shall include the board of estimate.
  3.  No  elected  official,  nor  the  holder of the position of deputy
mayor, director of the office of management and budget, commissioner  of
citywide  administrative  services, corporation counsel, commissioner of
finance, commissioner of investigation or chair  of  the  city  planning
commission  shall, within a period of one year after termination of such
person's employment with the city,  appear  before  any  agency  in  the
branch  of  city  government  served by such person. For the purposes of
this paragraph, the legislative branch  of  the  city  consists  of  the
council  and the offices of the council, and the executive branch of the

city consists of all other agencies of the city, including the office of
the public advocate.
  4.  No person who has served as a public servant shall appear, whether
paid or unpaid,  before  the  city,  or  receive  compensation  for  any
services  rendered,  in  relation to any particular matter involving the
same party or parties with  respect  to  which  particular  matter  such
person had participated personally and substantially as a public servant
through  decision,  approval,  recommendation,  investigation  or  other
similar activities.
  5. No public servant shall, after leaving city  service,  disclose  or
use  for  private  advantage  any  confidential  information gained from
public service which is not otherwise  made  available  to  the  public;
provided,  however, that this shall not prohibit any public servant from
disclosing any information concerning conduct which the  public  servant
knows or reasonably believes to involve waste, inefficiency, corruption,
criminal activity or conflict of interest.
  6.  The  prohibitions  on negotiating for and having certain positions
after leaving city  service,  shall  not  apply  to  positions  with  or
representation on behalf of any local, state or federal agency.
  7.  Nothing  contained  in  this  subdivision  shall prohibit a former
public servant from being associated with or having a position in a firm
which appears before a city agency  or  from  acting  in  a  ministerial
matter regarding business dealings with the city.
  e.  Allowed  positions.  A public servant or former public servant may
hold or negotiate for a position otherwise prohibited by  this  section,
where  the  holding  of  the  position would not be in conflict with the
purposes and interests of the city, if, after written  approval  by  the
head  of  the agency or agencies involved, the board determines that the
position involves no such conflict. Such findings shall  be  in  writing
and made public by the board.

Section 2605.

Section 2605.

  §  2605.  Reporting.  No public servant shall attempt to influence the
course of any proposed legislation in the legislative body of  the  city
without  publicly  disclosing on the official records of the legislative
body the nature and extent of any direct or indirect financial or  other
private interest the public servant may have in such legislation.

Section 2606.

Section 2606.

  §  2606.  Penalties.  a.  Upon  a  determination  by  the board that a
violation of section twenty-six hundred four or twenty-six hundred  five
of   this   chapter,  involving  a  contract  work,  business,  sale  or
transaction, has  occurred,  the  board  shall  have  the  power,  after
consultation  with the head of the agency involved, or in the case of an
agency head, with the mayor, to render forfeit and void the  transaction
in question.
  b.  Upon  a  determination  by  the  board that a violation of section
twenty-six hundred four or twenty-six hundred five of this  chapter  has
occurred,  the  board,  after  consultation  with the head of the agency
involved, or in the case of an agency head, with the mayor,  shall  have
the  power to impose fines of up to twenty-five thousand dollars, and to
recommend to the appointing authority, or person or body charged by  law
with  responsibility  for imposing such penalties, suspension or removal
from office or employment.
  b-1. In addition to the penalties set forth in subdivisions a and b of
this section, the board shall have the power to  order  payment  to  the
city of the value of any gain or benefit obtained by the respondent as a
result  of  the  violation  in  accordance  with  rules  consistent with
subdivision h of section twenty-six hundred three.
  c.  Any  person  who  violates  section  twenty-six  hundred  four  or
twenty-six hundred five of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
and,  on  conviction  thereof, shall forfeit his or her public office or
employment. Any person who violates paragraph ten of  subdivision  b  of
section   twenty-six   hundred   four,   on  conviction  thereof,  shall
additionally be forever disqualified from being  elected,  appointed  or
employed  in  the service of the city. A public servant must be found to
have had actual knowledge of a business dealing with the city  in  order
to be found guilty under this subdivision, of a violation of subdivision
a of section twenty-six hundred four of this chapter.
  d.  Notwithstanding  the provisions of subdivisions a, b and c of this
section, no penalties shall be imposed for a violation of paragraph  two
of  subdivision  b  of  section  twenty-six  hundred  four  unless  such
violation involved conduct identified by rule of the board as prohibited
by such paragraph.

Section 2607.

Section 2607.

  §  2607.  Gifts  by  lobbyists. Complaints made pursuant to subchapter
three of chapter two of title three of the administrative code shall  be
made, received, investigated and adjudicated in a manner consistent with
investigations  and  adjudications  of conflicts of interest pursuant to
this chapter and chapter thirty-four.