Provides that the head of the office of the state inspector general shall be appointed jointly by a majority vote of the governor, the attorney general, state comptroller, temporary president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly; requires that the state inspector general ensure that any and all activities of the office remain independent from the governor and the executive department and remain free from influence from the governor or executive department; makes related provisions.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7354
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
August 30, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. PALUMBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the establishment and
organization of the state inspector general
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 52 of the executive law, as added by chapter 766 of
2 the laws of 2005, is amended as follows:
3 § 52. Establishment and organization. 1. There is hereby established
4 the office of the state inspector general [in the executive department].
5 The head of the office shall be the state inspector general who shall be
6 appointed jointly by a majority vote of the governor, the attorney
7 general, the state comptroller, the temporary president of the senate,
8 the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the senate, and the
9 minority leader of the assembly.
10 2. The state inspector general shall hold office until the end of [the
11 term of the governor by whom he or she was appointed] a term of two
12 years and until his or her successor is appointed and has qualified.
13 Beginning in December two thousand twenty-one, and every December every
14 two years thereafter, the appointing authorities shall jointly appoint a
15 new inspector general or reappoint the existing inspector general.
16 3. The state inspector general shall [report to the secretary to the
17 governor] ensure that any and all activities of the office remain inde-
18 pendent from the governor and the executive department and remain free
19 from influence from the governor and the executive department.
20 4. The state inspector general may appoint one or more deputy inspec-
21 tors general to serve at his or her pleasure, who shall be responsible
22 for conducting investigations in the agencies to which they are desig-
23 nated and in which they are deemed employed.
24 5. The salary of the inspector general shall be established [by the
25 governor] at a rate equal to the annual rate established as of May thir-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11337-02-1
S. 7354 2
1 ty-first, two thousand twenty-one; provided such salary may be adjusted
2 by joint resolution approved by the legislature within the limit of
3 funds available therefore; and provided, however, such salary shall be
4 no less than the salaries of certain state officers holding the posi-
5 tions indicated in paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section one
6 hundred sixty-nine of the executive law.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
