N.Y. General Municipal Law § 806: Code of ethics

§ 806. Code of ethics. 1. (a) The governing body of each county,

city, town, village, school district and fire district shall and the

governing body of any other municipality may by local law, ordinance or

resolution adopt a code of ethics setting forth for the guidance of its

officers and employees the standards of conduct reasonably expected of

them. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the

contrary, a fire district code of ethics shall also apply to the

volunteer members of the fire district fire department. Codes of ethics

shall provide standards for officers and employees with respect to

disclosure of interest in legislation before the local governing body,

holding of investments in conflict with official duties, private

employment in conflict with official duties, future employment and such

other standards relating to the conduct of officers and employees as may

be deemed advisable. Such codes may regulate or prescribe conduct which

is not expressly prohibited by this article but may not authorize

conduct otherwise prohibited. Such codes may provide for the prohibition

of conduct or disclosure of information and the classification of

employees or officers.

(b) Effective on and after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one,

such codes of political subdivisions, as defined in section eight

hundred ten of this article, may contain provisions which require the

filing of completed annual statements of financial disclosure with the

appropriate body, as defined in section eight hundred ten of this

article. Nothing herein shall be construed to restrict any political

subdivision or any other municipality from requiring such a filing prior

to January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one. Other than as required by

subdivision two of section eight hundred eleven of this article, the

governing body of any such political subdivision or other municipality

may at any time subsequent to the effective date of this paragraph,

adopt a local law, ordinance or resolution pursuant to subdivision one

of section eight hundred eleven of this article and any such political

subdivision or municipality, acting by its governing body, may take such

other action as is authorized in such subdivision. Any political

subdivision or other municipality to which all of the provisions of

section eight hundred twelve of this article apply may elect to remove

itself from the ambit of all (but not some) provisions of such section

in the manner authorized in subdivision three of such section eight

hundred twelve. In such event any such political subdivision or

municipality shall be subject to certain conditions and limitations set

forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of such subdivision three which

shall include, but not be limited to, the promulgation of a form of an

annual statement of financial disclosure described in subdivision one of

such section eight hundred eleven.

2. The chief executive officer of a municipality adopting a code of

ethics shall cause a copy thereof to be distributed to every officer and

employee of his municipality. The fire district commissioners shall

cause a copy of the fire district's code of ethics to be posted publicly

and conspicuously in each building under such district's control.

Failure to distribute any such copy or failure of any officer or

employee to receive such copy shall have no effect on the duty of

compliance with such code, nor the enforcement of provisions thereof.