N.Y. Public Officers Law § 15: Validation of official acts performed before filing official oath or undertaking

§ 15. Validation of official acts performed before filing official

oath or undertaking. If a public officer, duly chosen, has heretofore

entered, or shall hereafter enter on the performance of the duties of

his or her office, without taking or filing an official oath, or

executing or filing an official undertaking, as required by the

constitution, section ten of this article, section twenty-five of the

town law or section one hundred four of the uniform justice court act,

or by any general or special law, his or her acts as such officer, so

performed, shall be as valid and of as full force and effect as if such

oath had been duly taken and filed, and as if such undertaking had been

duly executed and filed, notwithstanding the provisions of any general

or special law declaring any such office vacant, or authorizing it to be

declared vacant, or to be filled as in case of vacancy, or imposing any

other forfeiture or penalty for omission to take or file any such oath,

or to execute or file any such undertaking; but this section shall not

otherwise affect any provision of any general or special law, declaring

any such office vacant, or authorizing it to be declared vacant, or to

be filled as in case of vacancy, or imposing any other forfeiture or

penalty, by reason of the failure to take or file any such oath or to

execute or file any such undertaking; and this section shall not relieve

any such officer from criminal liability for entering on the discharge

of his or her official duties without taking or filing such oath or

executing or filing such undertaking in accordance with such provisions.