NY S02454

Prohibits state reimbursement of legal defense costs to campaign committees, political committees, or legal defense funds that pay for a state employee's criminal or civil defense

Requires employees with legal defense funds to exhaust all money in those funds before becoming eligible for state reimbursement of attorneys' fees and litigation expenses

Mandates that employees and their legal counsel certify to the Attorney General and Comptroller that no legal defense fund money remains and that no state reimbursement will be passed along to political committees or legal defense funds

Applies to both criminal defense reimbursements (following acquittal or dismissal) and civil defense payments for actions arising from an employee's public duties

Takes effect immediately and applies to any pending claims not yet paid as well as all new claims submitted after the effective date