Other Explainers

Explaining the Ethics Commission Reform Act of 2022

By Bennett Liebman
September 15, 2022

Since 1954, ethics enforcement in New York has been tenuous. In July, the New York Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government became the State’s latest ethics oversight agency. This explainer examines the structure and responsibilities of the new commission—and the 2022 law that created it.

White v. Cuomo: What Comes Next After Daily Fantasy Sports Gambling in New York?

By Bennett Liebman
September 15, 2022

According to the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association, over 30 million Americans play daily fantasy sports (DFS). With the National Football League season starting, and Major League Baseball still in full swing, this explainer explores what comes next after the New York Court of Appeals’ March 2022 decision on the validity of daily fantasy sports gambling. The Court determined that skill predominates chance in DFS and, therefore, contests are not subject to the state’s historic prohibition on gambling.

Name, Image, and Likeness Legislation Reaches New York State

By Bennett Liebman
September 1, 2022, updated December 1, 2022

In 2022, the New York State legislature passed a bill authorizing name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for college student-athletes. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the legislation on November 21, 2022. With the passage and signing of the bill, New York State has become one of approximately 30 states that have passed NIL legislation. This explainer explores the factors that led to the emergence of the NIL issue, the role of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and implications for schools and student-athletes in New York.

The New York Law Revision Commission: Past and Present

By Erika Bentley '22
March 2022

The New York Law Revision Commission was created by statute as a permanent commission dedicated exclusively to systematic law reform.

The Commission is part of New York’s rich legal history and is the longest continuously operating commission of its kind in the United States, setting an example that was later followed by other states and other countries.

Let’s Not Waste the Cuomo Crisis

By Bennett Liebman
September 8, 2021

Winston Churchill’s putative admonition never to let a good crisis go to waste may be in danger of falling on deaf ears in New York State. With no need or legal ability to impeach former governor Andrew Cuomo, any opportunity to reform the process of removing or appointing a statewide official may have been squandered. Additionally, with little prospect of a public forum for the airing of the charges and witnesses against Governor Cuomo, there may be limited ability for the public to assess the validity and the significance of the charges against the former governor. All we are likely to have are summary reports of how individual investigators viewed the evidence against Governor Cuomo.