What's happening
This bill amends the Public Authorities Law to give voting rights to all New York State Public Authorities Control Board members, including those recommended by minority leaders.
Why it matters
Expanding voting rights to all board members, including those recommended by minority party leaders, means minority voices will have direct influence on decisions made by the Public Authorities Control Board, not just advisory input. This could lead to more balanced oversight and greater bipartisan representation in major public authority projects and financing.
Changing the voting requirement from a unanimous vote to a four-fifths vote makes it slightly easier for the board to approve actions. This reduces the ability of a single member to block decisions, potentially making the board more efficient, but it still requires a broad consensus.
Allowing designated representatives of any board member (not just voting members) to vote or act on behalf of absent members further strengthens the continuity and reliability of minority representation. This ensures that all viewpoints are consistently present in board deliberations, even if the principal appointee is unavailable.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Board Voting Rights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Held for consideration in corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5905
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 17, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. KOLB, MONTESANO, FRIEND -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARCLAY, BUTLER, CROUCH, FINCH, FITZPATRICK, GOODELL, HAWLEY, LOPEZ, McKEVITT, McLAUGHLIN, OAKS, RAIA, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the powers, functions and duties of the New York state public authorities control board
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 50 of the public authorities law, as amended by chapter 838 of the laws of 1983, is amended to read as follows:
2. The membership of the board shall consist of five persons appointed by the governor, of which one shall be upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate, one upon the recommendation of the speaker of the assembly, one upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate and one upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the assembly. [The members appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly shall be non-voting members whose comments shall be entered upon any official record of board proceedings in the same manner as voting members' comments, unless objection is raised by any of the voting members in which case, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, such comments by non-voting members shall not be so entered.] The term of the members first appointed shall continue until January thirty-first, nineteen hundred seventy-seven, except that the term of the members first appointed upon the recommendations of the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly shall continue until January thirty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-four, and thereafter their successors shall serve for a term of one year
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08138-01-7
A. 5905 2
ending on January thirty-first in each year. Upon recommendation of the nominating party, the governor may replace any member in accordance with the provision contained [herein] in this subdivision for the appointment of members. The governor shall designate one of the members to serve as chairman. The board shall act by [unanimous] a four-fifths vote of the [voting] members of the board. Any determination of the board shall be evidenced by a certification thereof executed by all the [voting] members. Each member of the board shall be entitled to designate a representative to attend meetings of the board in his or her place, and to vote or otherwise act on his or her behalf in his or her absence. Notice of such designation shall be furnished in writing to the board by the designating member. A representative shall serve at the pleasure of the designating member during the member's term of office. A representative shall not be authorized to delegate any of his or her duties or functions to any other person.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.