New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a series of steps to improve transparency in state government that overturn many of the policies practiced by her predecessor, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo, who resigned in August over a sexual harassment scandal, was criticized for not following the spirit of the state’s Freedom of Information Laws, which require state officials and agencies to hand over documents requested by the public and the media.
Hochul said FOIL requests will no longer have to be vetted by the governor’s office. That practice led to long delays and denials of the requests and will instead be carried out expeditiously by state agencies.
The governor -- whose husband, William Hochul, is executive vice president and general counsel for hospitality company Delaware North, which lobbies the Legislature -- also issued new rules for recusals by top state officials to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
Delaware North spent more than $360,000 lobbying the Legislature in 2021, according to the website Open Secrets.
Hochul has signed documents saying she will recuse herself from any matter before the state government that Delaware North is involved in. She pledged not to use her position to benefit the company’s interests.
The governor also followed through on a previous promise to require live ethics training for all state employees as soon as they are hired, with a refresher course to be taken every three years or every two years for workers in the governor’s office.
