For more than a century, Citizens Union has served as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for transparent, effective, and efficient governance. We advocate for strong policies and institutions to accomplish these goals, including an effective system of pursuing ethics and lobbying violations, ensuring a functioning and deliberative legislative process that allows for meaningful engagment by rank-and-file legislators and the public, and greater transparency during the budget process and in the operations of state government including agencies, public authorities and other entities.
- January 15, 2013 — Testimony to the Attorney General’s Office Regarding Proposed Disclosure of Nonprofit Donors
- January 15, 2013 — Good Government Groups Question Use of Message of Necessity for Gun Control Legislation
- January 9, 2013 — CU News Release Commenting on Governor’s State of State Address and Reform Agenda
- May 22, 2012 — Testimony to the Assembly on New York’s Information Technology Infrastructure and Ways to Increase Transparency
- March 22, 2012 – Civic Groups Report – A New Transparency for NYS: Using the Explosion in Information Technology to Open Government
- December 10, 2009 — CU Testimony to the NYS Legislature’s Joint Advisory Board on the Broadcast of State Government Proceedings on Implementation of a New York State Government Affairs Channel
- September 4, 2009 — Citizens Union, and Good Government Colleagues Release Statement on Senate Rules Reform
- July 16, 2009 — Coalition_STATEMENT_ON_SENATE_RULES_CHANGES_FINA_ 7_16_09.pdf
- June 29, 2009 — Reform Coalition News Release On State Senate Stalemate and Proposed Short-Term Agreement
- May 27, 2009 — CU Memo of Support for A.411-A/S.4483 Allowing for 16- and 17-years-olds to Serve on Community Boards
- March 23, 2009 — CU Memo of Support for S.3020/A.6382 Allowing Agencies to Accept and Respond to Requests Under FOIL via Email
- March 23, 2009 — CU Memo of Support for S.3195 Requiring Records of Public Meetings
- March 23, 2009 — CU Memo of Support for S.3332 Requiring Internet Notice of Public Meetings
- February 26, 2009 — Citizens Union Testimony to NYS Senate Temporary Committee on Rules and Administration Reform
- March 11, 2008 — Citizens Union Statement Urging Governor Spitzer to Resign
- March 3, 2007 — Statement Urging New York State Leadership to Discontinue the Use of Messages of Necessity
Further Resources and Website of Interests:
- July 16, 2009 — New York State Senate Rules
- April 21, 2009 — New York State Senate Draft Report of the Temporary Committee on Rules and Administration Reform
- April 22, 2009 — New York State Senate Minority Report on Proposed Rules Reform