§ 806 — Code of ethics

§ 806. Code of ethics. 1. (a) The governing body of each county,\ncity, town, village, school district and fire district shall and the\ngoverning body of any other municipality may by local law, ordinance or\nresolution adopt a code of ethics setting forth for the guidance of its\nofficers and employees the standards of conduct reasonably expected of\nthem. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the\ncontrary, a fire district code of ethics shall also apply to the\nvolunteer members of the fire district fire department. Codes of ethics\nshall provide standards for officers and employees with respect to\ndisclosure of interest in legislation before the local governing body,\nholding of investments in conflict with official duties, private\nemployment in conflict with official duties, future employment and such\nother standards relating to the conduct of officers and employees as may\nbe deemed advisable. Such codes may regulate or prescribe conduct which\nis not expressly prohibited by this article but may not authorize\nconduct otherwise prohibited. Such codes may provide for the prohibition\nof conduct or disclosure of information and the classification of\nemployees or officers.\n (b) Effective on and after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one,\nsuch codes of political subdivisions, as defined in section eight\nhundred ten of this article, may contain provisions which require the\nfiling of completed annual statements of financial disclosure with the\nappropriate body, as defined in section eight hundred ten of this\narticle. Nothing herein shall be construed to restrict any political\nsubdivision or any other municipality from requiring such a filing prior\nto January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one. Other than as required by\nsubdivision two of section eight hundred eleven of this article, the\ngoverning body of any such political subdivision or other municipality\nmay at any time subsequent to the effective date of this paragraph,\nadopt a local law, ordinance or resolution pursuant to subdivision one\nof section eight hundred eleven of this article and any such political\nsubdivision or municipality, acting by its governing body, may take such\nother action as is authorized in such subdivision. Any political\nsubdivision or other municipality to which all of the provisions of\nsection eight hundred twelve of this article apply may elect to remove\nitself from the ambit of all (but not some) provisions of such section\nin the manner authorized in subdivision three of such section eight\nhundred twelve. In such event any such political subdivision or\nmunicipality shall be subject to certain conditions and limitations set\nforth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of such subdivision three which\nshall include, but not be limited to, the promulgation of a form of an\nannual statement of financial disclosure described in subdivision one of\nsuch section eight hundred eleven.\n 2. The chief executive officer of a municipality adopting a code of\nethics shall cause a copy thereof to be distributed to every officer and\nemployee of his municipality. The fire district commissioners shall\ncause a copy of the fire district's code of ethics to be posted publicly\nand conspicuously in each building under such district's control.\nFailure to distribute any such copy or failure of any officer or\nemployee to receive such copy shall have no effect on the duty of\ncompliance with such code, nor the enforcement of provisions thereof.\n