ETHICS REFORM HOPE FADING.(Main)

ALBANY -- With less than three weeks left to the end of the legislative session, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has unveiled his own ethics reform proposal, leaving little hope that major changes will be enacted before lawmakers head home.

Silver outlined a proposal at a five-way leaders' meeting Wednesday that was markedly different from ethics bills introduced separately by Gov. David Paterson and the state Senate.

The Assembly proposal would create separate commissions to govern the executive branch, the Legislature and the activities of lobbyists. Each commission would have subpoena power, Silver spokesman Daniel Weiller said.

Since 2007, the …