N.Y. Legislative Law Section 4
Contempts of either house

Each house may punish by imprisonment not extending beyond the same session of the legislature, as for a contempt, for the following offenses only:

1.

Arresting a member or officer of either house in violation of his privilege from arrest;

2.

Disorderly conduct of its members, officers or others in the immediate view and presence of the house, tending to interrupt its proceedings;

3.

The publication of a false and malicious report of its proceedings, or of the conduct of a member in his legislative capacity;

4.

Giving or offering a bribe to a member, or attempting, by menace or other corrupt means, directly or indirectly, to influence a member in giving or withholding his vote, or in not attending meetings of the house of which he is a member;

5.

Neglect to attend or to be examined as a witness before the house or committee thereof, or upon reasonable notice to produce any material books, papers, or documents, when duly required to give testimony or to produce such books, papers or documents in a legislative proceeding, inquiry or investigation.

Source: Section 4 — Contempts of either house, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/LEG/4 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Jun. 21, 2025).

2
Exemption of members and officers from arrest 3
Expulsion of members 4
Contempts of either house 5
Compensation of members 5–A
Allowances for member serving as an officer of either house of the legislature or in a special capacity therein 5–B
Limit on outside earned income by members 6
Officers and employees of the senate 7
Officers and employees of the assembly 7–A
Legislative library, librarian and assistants 7–B
Legislative emergency health station 7–C
Member of assembly defined 7–D
Employees of the legislature 7–E
Assistive listening system for the deaf and hard of hearing 7–F
Assembly historian 7–G
Senate historian 8
Appointments to be filed with the comptroller 9
Additional employees 10
Compensation of officers and employees 11
Designation of payrolls as annual, session or temporary 12
Authorization of expenditures 15
Duties of secretary and clerk 16
Supplies furnished by secretary and clerk 17
Accountability of secretary and clerk to comptroller 18
Duties of postmasters and assistants 19
Duties of official stenographers 20
Detail of officers and employees for special duties 21
Limitation of legislative expenses 22
Custody of legislative papers and documents 22–A
Reproduction and destruction of certain records, books and papers of the senate 22–B
Destruction and reproductions of assembly books and records 23
Appropriation bills, how referred 24
Legislative bill drafting commission 25
Duties of the commission 27
Appointment of secretaries of finance and ways and means committees 28
Compensation, expenses, employees 29
Sub-committees of finance and ways and means committees 30
Duties of finance and ways and means committees and secretaries 31
Appearances and inquiries in respect to the budget 32
Representation of certain legislative committees during revision of the budget 32–A
Budget 33
Exercise of certain statutory powers during a vacancy in office of the temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Verified:
Jun. 21, 2025

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 4. Contempts of either house's source at nysenate​.gov

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