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S7587Senate2013-2014 SessionSame asA8987

Requires public authorities to conduct open meetings and provide an internet broadcast of its meetings

Sponsor Adriano EspaillatSD-31+1 co-sponsorAffects Economy
Status
In Senate Committee
Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Corporations, Authorities And Commissions

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Who cares

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Adriano Espaillat

Senator · Senate District 31

1 Co-sponsor

History

  1. Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

A8987Assembly

Requires public authorities to conduct open meetings and provide an internet broadcast of its meetings

In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Dan Quart

Full text

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

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:S7587

Title of bill

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring open meetings and the internet broadcast of open meetings of each state authority and local authority

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill would require state and local authorities to webcast, record, archive and provide access to their meetings via the Internet to the public.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 amends public authorities law by requiring all state and local authorities to comply with the open meetings law.

Requires state and local authorities to webcast their board and committee meetings, to record said meetings, to archive said meeting and to provide access to said archive on its website for the prior year.

*Provides a webcasting exception for executive sessions.

*Provides a one year waiver of the webcasting requirement for authorities which do not satisfy respective one million dollar thresholds.

*Establishes standing to enforce compliance with the statute.

Section 2 is the effective date

Justification

This bill would ensure that the public business being performed at state and local public benefit corporations is in an open and public manner which is essential to the maintenance of a democratic society and to the ensure transparency and accountability at public authorities. New affordable and innovative technology allows all public authorities to webcast their meetings. This bill would modernize the open meeting law for the 21st century. Under this law, New Yorkers would be provided a window into the secluded board rooms where decisions impacting the public happen every day. Just as the state legislative proceeding are webcast and archived so should the entities that are delegated legislative authority. For the majority of the public who cannot personally attend board meetings, this would allow them to access them from home, at work or at a time/place convenient for them.

Prior legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

Undetermined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect 180 days after it shall become law.

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