Enacts the "legislative online digital paperwork reduction act"

BILL NUMBER:S3499

Title of bill

An act to amend the legislative law and the executive law, in relation to enacting the "legislative online digital paperwork reduction act"

Purpose

The purpose of this bill is to reduce the number of bills, reports, digests, records and various documents printed by the New York State Legislature and establish a process to make these documents avail- able electronically through the websites of the New York State Senate, Assembly and State Agencies.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Establishes the title of the bill as the "Legislative Online Digital Paperwork Reduction Act."

Section 2: States the creation of a new section, Section 44-b to Legis- lative Law.

Section 44-b: Establishes that all documents produced by the Legislature and Members of the Legislature be done electronically and made available for printing on the websites of the State Assembly and State Senate. This includes reports, digests and records produced by the Legislature.

Section 3: States the creation of a new section, Section 170-c to Execu- tive Law.

Section 170-c: Establishes that all State Agencies shall make their annual reports available on their websites for printing. State Agency is defined as any department, board, bureau, commission, division, office, council, committee or office of the state in addition to public benefit corporations and public authorities.

Section 4: States law shall take effect on the nineteenth day after it is signed into law.

Justification

Each year, thousands of bills are introduced and every single measure gets printed multiple times. It has been estimated that this could save taxpayers millions of dollars.

Eliminating automatic bill printing would save money and. save resources. Instead of having all legislation and reports printed on paper, making them available on a digital format where lawmakers can view it on their laptops and mobile devices would deliver significant savings. If necessary, Members of the Legislature, State Agencies and the public could print a copy from their own computer.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation (by a vote of 399-0) to stop the mandatory printing of congressional bills. Several state legislatures have gone paperless or are experimenting with

going digital. They include California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wiscon- sin, It's estimated that Ohio has saved $1.5 million since going digital.

Legislative history

3/21/11 Referred to Investigations and Operations 1/14/12 Referred to Investigations and Operations

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act will take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.