New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government indicated that:
1. "This emergency rule is necessary for the general welfare to fully effectuate the provisions of Executive Law § 94(8)(a) and (b), which direct the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government to 'develop and administer' an ambitious statewide ethics training program. The statutes also permit the Commission to grant an application for an extension or waiver modifying the ethics training mandate 'for good cause shown.'
2. "The statute provides no procedure or standard of review for such applications. The Commission has heard from many State agencies that, due to their particular circumstances, they have challenges with ensuring that their employees attend the required the ethics training, often due to issues related to access to technology or scheduling. The Commission believes that a significant number of employees, or agencies on behalf of some or all of their employees, will wish to seek an extension or waiver modifying the statewide ethics training requirements for them. The statewide ethics training program is a continuing, yearly obligation, and it is essential that some form of ethics training be delivered to all those who are required to receive it. Delay in effectuating this Rule will result in some employees, or agencies, falling behind in their ethics training schedule.
3. "This emergency rule is intended to be effective until the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which accompanies this Emergency Adoption, is permanently adopted. The simultaneous Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will afford the regulated community the timely opportunity to seek extensions or waivers modifying the ethics training requirement before falling behind in their ethics training obligation.
4. "This notice is intended to serve only as a notice of emergency adoption. This agency intends to adopt the provisions of this emergency rule as a permanent rule, having previously submitted to the Department of State a notice of proposed rule making, I.D. No. ELG-22-25-00019-EP, Issue of June 4, 2025. The emergency rule will expire October 16, 2025.
5. "Statewide Elected Officials, members of the legislature and employees of the legislature, and state officers and employees as defined in Public Officers Law § § 73, 73-a, and 74, and political party chairs as defined in Public Officers Law § 73, are required to complete the live in-person or live-online Comprehensive Ethics Training Course within ninety days of commencing state employment and every two years thereafter, and are required to complete the online Refresher Ethics Training Course in each intervening year.
6. "The Proposed Rule does not impose new programs, services, duties or responsibilities upon any county, city, town, village, school district, fire district or other special district."
Text of rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from: Michael Sande, Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, 540 Broadway, Albany, NY 11207, (518) 408-3976, email: michael.sande@ethics.ny.gov