Cuomo Proposes ‘Public Trust Act’ to Combat Corruption

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday proposed giving prosecutors more power to combat public corruption and would, for the first time, require public officials to report corrupt actions by their colleagues.

The Public Trust Act would create new crimes and increase penalties for violating existing anti-corruption laws. The proposal would make specific crimes of bribing a public official, scheming to corrupt the government and failing to report public corruption.

Among the tools would be a way for witnesses to receive only partial immunity when testifying before a grand jury, as in federal cases, so that a witness isn't free from being prosecuted by a local district attorney.

The proposal would also hold former elected officials to a five-year statute of limitation for their acts once they leave an elected body. Cuomo said he would release a bill with specifics later in the week.