New York Assembly Bill A11493

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

Caption

Prohibits a state or local authority from employing or designating a lobbyist to engage in lobbying

Summary

This bill amends the Public Authorities Law to prohibit any state or local authority, or any subsidiary of such an authority, from directly or indirectly retaining, contracting with, employing, or designating a lobbyist to engage in lobbying. The bill defines “lobbyist” and “lobbying” by reference to the Legislative Law, so the restriction would apply using the state’s existing lobbying definitions. The bill also addresses existing agreements by allowing public authorities to cancel or terminate any contract in effect on the effective date that conflicts with the new prohibition. Those terminations could occur without penalty or damages, though the authority would still have to pay for work already performed before cancellation. The act would take effect immediately upon enactment.

Impact

The bill would add a new section 2859 to the Public Authorities Law, creating a statewide restriction on public authorities’ use of outside or designated lobbyists. It would affect state and local authorities and their subsidiaries, limiting their ability to spend public resources on lobbying activities and potentially ending existing lobbying contracts. The measure would not change the general lobbying laws themselves, but would impose a specific prohibition on this class of public entities.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or recorded vote information is available, so there is no documented debate or formal vote history to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill’s text and caption, the measure appears aimed at limiting public authorities’ lobbying practices and increasing restrictions on their use of public funds, which may appeal to reform-minded lawmakers and transparency advocates. At the same time, the absence of discussion means no specific consensus or objections are documented in the provided materials.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely whether public authorities should be allowed to hire lobbyists at all, especially if they argue such representation is necessary to advocate for their projects or funding needs. Another possible issue is the treatment of existing contracts: the bill permits cancellation without penalty, but requires payment for work already performed, which could raise questions about contractual obligations and operational disruption. No specific legislators, agencies, or outside groups are identified in the provided record as taking a position.