Democrats in the state Senate on Wednesday moved to restore the oversight power of the state comptroller's office when it comes to reviewing major economic development spending in New York. 

The bill was packaged with a collection of measures by Democratic lawmakers who want to provide more sunlight to the billions of dollars in spending used for economic development and programs meant to create jobs, but have been decried by good-government watchdogs across the political spectrum. 

“The Senate Democratic Majority is protecting taxpayer dollars by ensuring that economic development across the state is being done in a responsible and transparent manner," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. "This bill package also promotes transparency and ensures that the public has the access necessary for accountability. Additionally, we are prohibiting “intra-state piracy” to ensure that jobs and benefits are not being removed from the communities that depend on them. I applaud the bill sponsors for their work to deliver good government and tax-dollar oversight.” 

A decade ago, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office lost the power to review contract spending at key entities at the State University of New York and City University of New York that had been used as pass-through agencies to spend on a major economic development projects. 

But the spending in western New York as part of an economic development push would lead to a sweeping bribery and fraud cases against a former top aide to then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo as well as prominent developers in upstate New York. 

Since those arrests and convictions, lawmakers and advocates have been calling for a restoration of the oversight ability. 

Lawmakers on Wednesday in the Senate also approved new transparency bills for the Empire State Development Corp, including the requirement the agency post its community advisory committee members and their agendas and minutes. 

Lawmakers also want better oversight of disaster emergency contracts when that spending agreement goes beyond 30 days as well as a bill barring the confidentiality and non-disclosure provisions from being included in contracts. 

“New Yorkers deserve full transparency when public dollars are used and private corporations should not have the power to dictate what governments can and cannot do," said Sen. Mike Gianaris. "I am glad the Senate is passing important economic development reforms including my bill to prohibit non-disclosure agreements in economic development deals.”