Requires that committee and floor votes be made available online and that session and committee meetings be webcast

5 Co-sponsors

• Tony Avella
• David Carlucci
• Terry Gipson
• Jack M. Martins
• Kevin S. Parker

BILL NUMBER:S3046C

Title of bill

An act to amend the legislative law, in relation to requiring that committee and floor votes be made available online and that session and committee meetings be live webcast and archived

Purpose

This legislation requires that committee and floor votes are made public online and that session and committee meeting are live webcast and archived.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Adds a new section to 54-c of the Legislative law which requires all committee and floor votes by the Senate and Assembly be listed online within 24 hours, or to the extent practicable, of the vote on each houses perspective website. This listing will include the bill number, date of vote, the summary of legislation from the legislative retrieval system, whether such vote was on the floor or in a committee and each member's vote listed as aye, nay, excused, absent, or abstain. It is requires that every committee meeting of the Legislature and every session shall be live webcast and archived through the official website of each respective house.

Section 2: This legislation will take effect on the 120th day after it shall have become law.

Justification

This legislation seeks to allow access to the proceedings and voting records of committee and session activities conducted by both houses of the State Legislature.

Currently, many of the activities discussed in this legislation are shared through webcasts. However, it is important all the actions of the State Legislature are provided in a location that is easily accessible to those represented by State Legislative Officials. The availability of this information will allow the interested public to follow day to day activities of the State Legislature as well as their elected representatives actions in Albany.

Legislative history

S. 7487 - Referred to Investigations and Government Operations

Fiscal implications

Minimal.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become law; provided, however, that the obligation to archive webcasts of committee meetings, hearings, and sessions of the legislature as provided in section one of this act shall only apply to webcasts occurring on or after the effective date of this act.