ALBANY — Dozens of state lawmakers are closer to potentially having to leave public office or give up their private-sector jobs after a state Supreme Court justice recently issued a ruling upholding the constitutionality of a law that places limits on their outside income.
There are roughly 26 Assembly members and 12 senators — mostly Republicans — whose outside income exceeds the $35,000 limit that was established in a bill signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul at the end of 2022. The statute called for the income limit to take effect on Jan. 1, less than two months after many of the lawmakers affected by the measure ran for reelection.
The measure , which amended state Legislative Law, was enacted in conjunction with increasing their annual governmental salaries by $32,000 to $142,000. The bill passed in the Senate by a vote of 33-23 and in the Assembly 84-47. It was intended, in part, to reduce conflicts of interest and the appearance of any impropriety connected with outside employment…