NEW YORK (Reuters) -New York Governor Kathy Hochul will propose a state constitutional amendment that would impose a term limit on governors and other high-ranking officials, her office said on Monday.
The proposal, which Hochul will detail in her first State of the State address on Wednesday, would limit governors to two four-year terms in office and would also apply to the offices of lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller.
In addition to term limits, Hochul will recommend that the officeholders be barred from collecting outside income while serving in the roles.
The goal of the proposals is to restore trust in government, Hochul said in a statement.
“I want people to believe in their government again. With these bold reforms, we will ensure New Yorkers know their leaders work for them and are focused on serving the people of this state,” the statement said.
The proposals come a little over four months after the resignation of then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was serving his third four-year term when a report from state Attorney General Letitia James accused him of sexual harassment and other transgressions.
Cuomo also faced scrutiny after he profited from a book deal worth $5.1 million, a windfall that a state ethics panel ordered him to pay back last month.
Hochul, who served as Cuomo’s lieutenant governor, became the first female governor in New York’s history when Cuomo stepped down in August.
(Reporting by Tyler Clifford; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Jonathan Oatis)
