I welcome this opportunity to finally clean up Albany and state government. While details of the agreement remain to be seen, it is certainly a good step in the right direction to bring accountability, transparency and a level of trust back to state government.

At first glance, I applaud this long-overdue and much-needed reform measure. Albany is notorious for its history of unethical behavior and corrupt public officials. At last, we have movement on an ethics deal that will promote greater transparency and hold State officials accountable – principles I have been advocating for years.

I am the sponsor of legislation, Assembly Bill A.3898, which would establish the Commission on Official Conduct to replace the Commission on Public Integrity and the State Inspector General. This legislation would abolish those investigative agencies in New York State which have similar duties and create one umbrella agency with a defined role that is politically neutral. The new agency would exist solely to investigate criminal activity, fraud, waste, abuse and wrongdoing by all State employees and those people doing business with the State.