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S88Senate2011-2012 SessionSame asA2251

Authorizes and directs the committee on open government to study proactive disclosure as a means of increasing transparency and access to government information

Sponsor Daniel L. SquadronSD-25Affects Legal
Status
In Senate Committee
Rules
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Rules

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Daniel L. Squadron

Senator · Senate District 25

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Committed to rules
  2. Advanced to third reading
  3. 2nd report cal.
  4. 1st report cal.972
  5. Print number 88a
  6. Amend and recommit to investigations and government operations
  7. Referred to investigations and government operations
  8. Referred to investigations and government operations

Companion bill

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:S88A

Title of bill

An act in relation to authorizing and directing the committee on open government to study proactive disclosure as a means of increasing trans- parency and access to government information

Purpose

To authorize the State Committee on Open Government to conduct a feasi- bility study on requiring state and municipal agencies to proactively disclose documents that are available under Article 6 of the public officers law.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 sets forth the legislative findings and intent. section 2 authorizes the New York State Committee on Open Government to study and report on the following:

* The feasibility of requiring agencies as defined in subdivision 3 of section 86 of the public officer's law to proactively disclose documents available under Article 6 of the public officer's law.

* Specific findings and legislative recommendations relating to mandato- ry proactive disclosure by agencies.

* Estimated costs or savings of proactive disclosure.

Requires a report to the Governor, Temporary president of the Senate and Speaker of the Assembly no later than January 31, 2014.

Existing law

Article 6 of the Public Officers law set forth the Freedom of Informa- tion Law.

Justification

As information technology throughout the world continues to develop by leaps and bounds, the availability and ease of retrieval of information of information of all types has become more and more effortless.

The goal of the original Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) was to promote the public good by disclosing information as widely as possible and without impediment, but it has its limitations because of the burden that it places on the public to make requests for information. While some state and local records are already available electronically, this information has been made public in a haphazard and uncoordinated fash- ion.

The Legislature, through this bill, has the opportunity to study the feasibility of requiring agencies to pro actively disclose information in a responsible, comprehensive, coordinated, cost effective fashion. It requires the Committee on open Government to develop a plan for mandato-

ry proactive disclosure which will allow for the utilization of the new technology to allow a secure conduit for the public to access vital public information and documents that are available under the public officers law.

Legislative history

2009-2010: S.3530A/A.7399A (Passed Senate 2009)

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

Immediately.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.