Many New York State Assembly Republicans joined Democrats last week in passing a new ethics bill 137-to-4, but one North Country Assembly member says the measure doesn’t go far enough.

“Like New York’s good-government groups, I am very disappointed by the Assembly Democrats’ ethics proposal, which doesn’t go deep enough to root out corruption or punish those who break the public trust,” said Marc Butler, R-Newport, whose 118th Assembly District includes St. Lawrence County towns from Norfolk and Madrid south to Colton, Clifton and Fine.

The measure as approved would limit legislators’ outside income to $70,000 a year and to treat limited liability companies – LLCs -- like other businesses whose contributions are limited to $5,000 a year.

Several Assembly members said they need to regain public trust, and that this bill was a good first step. But they said other measures, like term limits and limits on the power of leaders, are needed.

“They refuse to put term limits on legislative leaders and committee chairs, and as the convictions of former Speaker Silver and former Senate Majority Leader Skelos have shown, the concentration of power in New York State has fostered misconduct and malfeasance,” said North Country Assemblyman Butler.

“Furthermore, their bill glaringly omits other reforms we have been pushing for, like pension forfeiture, stricter punishments for violations of the law, stronger reporting and campaign finance reform, and many other crucial measures. It’s a halfhearted effort that completely disregards ‘Sunshine Week’ here in the State Capitol.”

Like every other Assembly and Senate member’s seat, Butler’s seat is up for election in November.