Former elected officials who are found guilty of corruption charges would be required to pay back their salaries to the taxpayer under a proposal by a Republican state lawmaker. 

The measure, first introduced in 2019 by North Country Assemblyman Mark Walczyk, is once again being called for passage by the bill’s sponsor in the wake of Brian Benjamin’s resignation from the lieutenant governor’s office. 

Benjamin is facing a five-count indictment that includes bribery and fraud allegations stemming from donations to his unsuccessful bid for New York City comptroller last year. Benjamin, a Democrat, has entered a not guilty plea and has indicated he will fight the charges while suspending his campaign for a full term. 

Benjamin’s resignation is the latest to rock Albany in the last year after Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped down from office following allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. Cuomo has in recent months maintained he’s done nothing wrong. 

“After Gov. Cuomo resigned, I called on my colleagues and Gov. Hochul to take action,” Walczyk said. “They failed. They have failed us again. But they don’t have to continue failing. Take action now. Enact this bill.”

Walczyk’s bill is the latest in a line of measures proposed over the years meant to deter public corruption at the state Capitol, a bipartisan problem that has led to the resignations of prominent elected officials in the last 10 years. Indictments have led to the ousters of both legislative leaders in the state Assembly and state Senate, along with many rank-and-file lawmakers. 

In 2017, voters gave final approval to a constitutional amendment meant to strip former elected officials convicted of public corruption of their pensions. 

State lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul earlier this year in the state budget approved a measure meant to overhaul ethics oversight in New York. It will revamp the state government panel that oversees ethics and lobbying regulations in the state with a successor organization and a new appointment structure to remove influence from the commission by elected officials.