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S7157Senate2015-2016 SessionSame asA9998

Requires state authorities to conduct open meetings and provide an internet broadcast of its meetings, where practicable

Sponsor Adriano EspaillatSD-31Affects Economy
Status
Signed by Governor
Impact
Pending
Outcome
Signed into law

Bill progress

Signed into law

What's happening

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Why it matters

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Who cares

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Adriano Espaillat

Senator · Senate District 31

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Signed chap.319
  2. Delivered to governor
  3. Returned to senate
  4. Passed assembly
  5. Ordered to third reading rules cal.87
  6. Substituted for A9998
  7. Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
  8. Delivered to assembly
  9. Passed senateVote 60–0
  10. Advanced to third reading
  11. 2nd report cal.
  12. 1st report cal.709
Show 1 earlier action
  1. Referred to investigations and government operations

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.

A9998Assembly

Requires state authorities to conduct open meetings and provide an internet broadcast of its meetings, where practicable

Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Dan Quart

Full text

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

Sponsor's memo

Title of bill

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

Purpose or general idea of bill

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

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1. Subdivision (f) of section 103 of the public officers law, 2 as added by chapter 519 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as 3 follows:

(f) Open meetings of an agency or authority shall be, to the extent practicable and within available funds, broadcast to the public and 6 maintained as records of the agency or authority. If the agency or authority maintains a website and utilizes a high speed Internet connection, such open meeting shall be, to the extent practicable and within available funds, streamed on such website in real-time, and posted on such website within and for a reasonable time after the meeting.

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 state 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.