Skip to content
A6826Assembly2017-2018 SessionSame asS5442

Change Quorum Definition Rules

Official title

“Relates to the minimum requirements for a quorum”

Sponsor Jeffrey DinowitzAD-81+18 co-sponsorsAffects Economy
Status
Vetoed
Impact
3/10
Low
Outcome
Vetoed

Bill progress

Vetoed

What's happening

This bill changes the definition of a quorum for the Public Service Commission to require a majority of the total authorized members, not just those appointed.

Why it matters

  1. Reduces the ability of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to operate with vacancies. By requiring a majority of the total authorized members (rather than just those currently appointed), the PSC cannot conduct official business unless more seats are filled, potentially slowing decision-making if appointments are delayed.

  2. Increases executive and legislative accountability. The Governor and Senate must ensure all PSC positions are filled promptly, as vacancies could now impede commission work, drawing more attention to political responsibility for unfilled seats.

  3. Strengthens the intended balance of the commission. Decisions will reflect a broader consensus of the full, statutorily intended commission, rather than a potentially small group of appointees, reducing the chance that a small subset can make major decisions during periods of understaffing.

  4. Potentially affects oversight of utilities and rates. Since the PSC oversees critical issues like utility regulation and rate approvals, any operational gridlock due to unfilled seats could delay important decisions impacting consumers and service providers.

The daily · weekday mornings

Albany, before your first meeting.

Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.

Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.

Who cares

Headline styles

Change Quorum Definition Rules

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Jeffrey Dinowitz

Assembly Member · Assembly District 81

Chair, Codes

History

  1. Tabled
  2. Vetoed memo.210
  3. Delivered to governor
  4. Returned to assembly
  5. Passed senateVote 62–0
  6. 3rd reading cal.2166
  7. Substituted for S5442A
  8. Referred to rules
  9. Delivered to senate
  10. Passed assembly
  11. Advanced to third reading cal.355
  12. Reported
Show 3 earlier actions
  1. Print number 6826a
  2. Amend and recommit to corporations, authorities and commissions
  3. 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.

S5442Senate

Change Quorum Requirements

Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Michael H. Ranzenhofer

Impact 3 · Low0% to pass

Full text

2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

6826--A

2017-2018 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

March 21, 2017

Introduced by M. of A. DINOWITZ, ENGLEBRIGHT, ROSENTHAL, THIELE, ORTIZ, LAVINE, ZEBROWSKI, D'URSO, STECK, COOK, KEARNS, COLTON, GLICK, CARROLL, GOTTFRIED, GALEF -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAHILL, HOOPER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to the minimum requirements for a quorum

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Section 11 of the public service law, as amended by chapter 371 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:

§ 11. Quorum; powers of a commissioner. A majority of the [duly appointed commissioners] total number of members of the commission, as such membership is required pursuant to section four of this article shall constitute a quorum and not less than a majority of such [commissioners] total number of members concurring may transact any business, perform any duty or exercise any power of the commission. The commission may hold meetings of the commission at any time or place within the state. Any investigation, inquiry or hearing which the commission has power to undertake or to hold may be undertaken or held by or before any commissioner or before any specially authorized officer or employee of the commission, provided that at least one commissioner shall hold at least one public hearing without delegation of authority to any specially authorized hearing officer or employee when such hearings are mandated by applications for rate increases. All investigations, inquiries, hearings and decisions of a commissioner or specially authorized officer or employee shall be and be deemed to be the investigations, inquiries, hearings and decisions of the commission and every order made by a commissioner, when approved and confirmed by the commis-

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD10314-02-7

A. 6826--A 2

sion and ordered filed in its office, shall be and be deemed to be the order of the commission.

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.

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.