NY COELIG Pressroom

COELIG Reports 49% Growth in Ethics Training Completion During Third Year

COELIG reported significant growth in ethics training completions for 2025, with more than 266,000 executive branch employees completing live or on-demand comprehensive ethics training, a 49.2% increase over 2024. The Commission also saw over 3,100 lobbyists and clients complete the 'Ethical Standards for Lobbyists and Clients' training course, up from 2,200 in 2024. Ethics inquiries to the Commission increased 73% since 2023, reaching 1,404 in 2025.

COELIG Settles Three Ethics Cases, $26,800 in Penalties

The NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) reached settlements in three ethics cases on March 9, 2026, resulting in $26,800 in total penalties and lost pay. The cases involved: (1) a Chief of Security at NY OMH's Greater Binghamton Health Center who falsified time and attendance records and deleted surveillance video, agreeing to a $6,500 penalty; (2) an OPWDD supervisor in the Capital Region who accepted over $2,200 in cash and a Michael Kors handbag from a subordinate, resulting in demotion from Grade 13 to Grade 9 and $19,322 in lost pay; and (3) a Concessions and Exhibits Manager for NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets at the State Fair who accepted free food, alcohol, and other gifts from vendors, agreeing to a $1,000 penalty. The Commission is currently handling 230 active cases, including 47 open investigations.

NY Lobbying Spending $384.5M in 2025, Up 1.96% from 2024

Preliminary lobbying spending in New York reached $384.5 million in 2025, a record high representing a $7.4 million or 1.96% increase over the 2024 preliminary figure of $377.1 million. The data, released by the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG) on April 16, 2026, is based on preliminary information in public corporation bi-monthly reports and client semi-annual reports as of March 17, 2026. The top three client spenders were the Coalition for New York's Future ($3.6 million), Genting New York LLC ($3.5 million), and Queens Future LLC ($3.2 million), while the top lobbied bills included Senate Bill 3003 and Assembly Bill 3003 focused on the Aid to Localities Budget.