ALBANY- Legislation that would also allow the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct to complete proceedings against judges who leave office while under investigation, which has already passed the State Senate, is expected to come before the State Assembly in early 2024. If passed, the Governor would be left to decide whether or not when formal charges are authorized against a judge following a confidential investigation, the charges and related proceedings become public.
Commission Chairman Joseph W. Belluck and Administrator Robert H. Tembeckjian support the legislation, and say it would bring New York’s standard in line with that of 38 other states around the country. They say that 650 judges have resigned from office since 1978 before disciplinary proceedings against them could not be completed.
“Responsible governmental transparency, greater accountability and budgetary integrity are hallmarks of the proposed legislation affecting New York’s judicial disciplinary system,” said Belluck. “The Commission on Judicial Conduct has advocated for these changes since its inception in 1978. Having passed overwhelmingly in the Senate, it is now before the Assembly, which we hope will send it to the Governor for signature.”
Read the full article here