STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10168
IN ASSEMBLY
May 10, 2024
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. K. Brown) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the town law and the village law, in relation to requir-
ing certain municipal positions take continuing legal education cours-
es
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The town law is amended by adding a new section 51-a to
2 read as follows:
3 § 51-a. Continuing legal education requirements for members of a town
4 board. 1. Each member of a town board shall complete six credit hours of
5 accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics within one year
6 of such member's election to such town board. The six hours of accred-
7 ited continuing legal education courses in ethics shall be completed in
8 one hour increments.
9 2. Members of such town board shall complete six credit hours of
10 accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics annually there-
11 after. The six credit hours of accredited continuing legal education
12 courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments.
13 § 2. The town law is amended by adding a new section 60-b to read as
14 follows:
15 § 60-b. Continuing legal education requirements for members of a town
16 board. 1. Each member of a town board shall complete six credit hours of
17 accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics within one year
18 of such member's election to such town board. The six hours of accred-
19 ited continuing legal education courses in ethics shall be completed in
20 one hour increments.
21 2. Members of such town board shall complete six credit hours of
22 accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics annually there-
23 after. The six credit hours of accredited continuing legal education
24 courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments.
25 § 3. Subdivision 7-a of section 267 of the town law is amended by
26 adding a new paragraph (a-1) to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15071-02-4
A. 10168 2
1 (a-1) (i) In addition to the training required pursuant to paragraph
2 (a) of this subdivision, each member of the zoning board of appeals
3 shall complete, at a minimum, six credit hours of accredited continuing
4 legal education courses in ethics within one year of such member's
5 appointment to the zoning board of appeals. The six hours of accredited
6 continuing legal education courses in ethics shall be completed in one
7 hour increments. Such training shall be approved by the town board and
8 may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality,
9 regional or county planning office or commission, county planning feder-
10 ation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other
11 similar entity. Training may be provided in a variety of formats,
12 including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning
13 and traditional classroom training.
14 (ii) Members of the zoning board of appeals shall complete six credit
15 hours of accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics annual-
16 ly thereafter. The six credit hours of accredited continuing legal
17 education courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments,
18 in the same format as provided in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
19 § 4. Subdivision 7-a of section 271 of the town law is amended by
20 adding a new paragraph a-1 to read as follows:
21 a-1. (i) In addition to the training required pursuant to paragraph a
22 of this subdivision, each member of the planning board shall complete,
23 at a minimum, six credit hours of accredited continuing legal education
24 courses in ethics within one year of such member's appointment to the
25 planning board. The six hours of accredited continuing legal education
26 courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments. Such train-
27 ing shall be approved by the town board and may include, but not be
28 limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county
29 planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency,
30 statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity.
31 Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not
32 limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional
33 classroom training.
34 (ii) Members of the planning board shall complete six credit hours of
35 accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics annually there-
36 after. The six credit hours of accredited continuing legal education
37 courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments, in the same
38 format as provided in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
39 § 5. Section 4-412 of the village law is amended by adding a new
40 subdivision 4 to read as follows:
41 4. Continuing legal education requirements for members of a village
42 board of trustees. a. Each member of a board of trustees shall complete
43 six credit hours of accredited continuing legal education courses in
44 ethics within one year of such member's election to the village board of
45 trustees. The six hours of accredited continuing legal education courses
46 in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments.
47 b. Members of such board of trustees shall complete six credit hours
48 of accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics annually
49 thereafter. The six credit hours of accredited continuing legal educa-
50 tion courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments.
51 § 6. Subdivision 7-a of section 7-712 of the village law is amended by
52 adding a new paragraph (a-1) to read as follows:
53 (a-1) (i) In addition to the training required pursuant to paragraph
54 (a) of this subdivision, each member of the zoning board of appeals
55 shall complete, at a minimum, six credit hours of accredited continuing
56 legal education courses in ethics within one year of such member's
A. 10168 3
1 appointment to the zoning board of appeals. The six hours of accredited
2 continuing legal education courses in ethics shall be completed in one
3 hour increments. Such training shall be approved by the town board and
4 may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality,
5 regional or county planning office or commission, county planning feder-
6 ation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other
7 similar entity. Training may be provided in a variety of formats,
8 including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning
9 and traditional classroom training.
10 (ii) Members of the zoning board of appeals shall complete six credit
11 hours of accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics annual-
12 ly thereafter. The six credit hours of accredited continuing legal
13 education courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments,
14 in the same format as provided in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
15 § 7. Subdivision 7-a of section 7-718 of the village law is amended by
16 adding a new paragraph a-1 to read as follows:
17 a-1. (i) In addition to the training required pursuant to paragraph a
18 of this subdivision, each member of the planning board shall complete,
19 at a minimum, six credit hours of accredited continuing legal education
20 courses in ethics within one year of such member's appointment to the
21 planning board. The six hours of accredited continuing legal education
22 courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments. Such train-
23 ing shall be approved by the town board and may include, but not be
24 limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county
25 planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency,
26 statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity.
27 Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not
28 limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional
29 classroom training.
30 (ii) Members of the planning board shall complete six credit hours of
31 accredited continuing legal education courses in ethics annually there-
32 after. The six credit hours of accredited continuing legal education
33 courses in ethics shall be completed in one hour increments, in the same
34 format as provided in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
35 § 8. This act shall take effect immediately.