NY governor signs government ethics law

The measure, which the Democratic governor proposed and lawmakers approved, establishes a new 14-member Joint Commission on Public Ethics to oversee and investigate compliance by lawmakers. It will also monitor statewide elected officials as well as executive branch and legislative employees while overseeing registration and conduct of lobbyists.

Six members will be chosen by the governor, with at least three from a different political party. Eight will be selected by legislative leaders: four Democrats and four Republicans.

Those functions have been handled by the Commission on Public Integrity, which will close, and the Legislative Ethics Commission, which will have authority to impose penalties following the new panel's investigations. Until the new group is up and running, expected in four months, the current integrity commission with a staff of 46 and with 61 pending cases is stopping investigations and hearings but will continue to collect information.

Cuomo made "cleaning up Albany" a major theme of his 2010 election campaign