ALBANY, NY (TIP): Senator Tony Avella, Chair, Ethics, has applauded the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE).

In a statement on May 29, he said, “As Chair of the SenateEthics Committee, and author of the Consulting Act, I applaud the Joint Commission on Public Ethics for joining me in working to shed light on these ‘lobbyists in consultants’ clothing’. For too long, consultants have taken advantage of their close relationships with legislators and policy makers, while simultaneously representing outside clients, all without being subject to the same scrutiny as their lobbyist counterparts. New York is long overdue in addressing this issue, and these proposed guidelines are a strong step in the right direction. I urge JCOPE to adopt these new guidelines as regulation, so we can continue to build transparency between our legislators and the consultants who work with them.”