What's happening
This bill amends the public authorities law to broaden the state comptroller's power to require prior approval for certain public authority contracts over one million dollars.
Why it matters
Expands oversight of large public authority contracts. By removing previous restrictions (such as only non-competitive or state-funded contracts), the Comptroller can now require prior approval for a broader range of contracts over $1 million, potentially strengthening fiscal accountability.
Gives the Comptroller more flexibility and discretion. The bill allows the Comptroller to decide which contracts or categories of contracts require review, making it easier to respond to emerging risks or patterns of concern in public spending.
May increase transparency and checks on public authority spending. With more contracts potentially subject to pre-approval, the public and lawmakers might see improved scrutiny over how public authorities award high-value contracts, helping prevent waste or abuse.
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
Comptroller Approves Big Contracts
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 61
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.585
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1292
- 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.
Comptroller Reviews Big Contracts
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3990
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 31, 2017
Introduced by Sen. RANZENHOFER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the approval of certain public authorities contracts by the state comptroller
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 2879-a of the public authorities law, as added by chapter 506 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows:
1. Except as set forth in subdivision three of this section, where the comptroller determines pursuant to his or her authority to supervise the accounts of public corporations, that contracts or categories of contracts in excess of one million dollars [(a)] to be awarded by a state authority [to a single source, a sole source or pursuant to any other method of procurement that is not competitive, or (b) which are to be paid in whole or in part from monies appropriated by the state to a state authority for such contractual expenditure,] require supervision in the form of prior review and approval of such contracts, and the comptroller so notifies such authority of such determination, then any such contract entered into subsequent to such notification shall be submitted to the comptroller for his or her approval and shall not be a valid enforceable contract unless it shall first have been approved by the comptroller. Such notification shall identify the process for submission, the categories of contracts at issue and the time period for which such submission is to take place. The comptroller shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out his or her responsibilities under this section, including but not limited to the standards for determining which contracts will be subject to his or her review and for approving such contracts.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01723-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the approval of certain public authorities contracts by the state comptroller
Purpose
This bill expands the scope of eligible contracts potentially subject to the State Comptroller's approval to include all public authority contracts exceeding one million dollars.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one - amends Subdivision 1 of Section 2879-a of the Public Authorities Law to provide that all public authority contracts over one million dollars would, at the State Comptroller's discretion, be subject to the State Comptroller's approval.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Under current law, only public authority contracts over one million dollars that are non-competitive or funded with State dollars can be reviewed by the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). A recent OSC audit found the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) slanted a supposedly competitive process to fill prime retail space in Grand Central Terminal in the favor of one company. OSC found that the MTA worked exclusively with the company behind the scenes on a lease for more than a year before issuing a request for proposals that resulted in the only response coming from such company. Because the MTA lease was purportedly a competitive process, it was not eligible for the Comptroller's review before it was finalized. This bill would make all contracts over one million dollars eligible for review.
Legislative history
2015-16: A.1007 - Ways and Means 2013-14: S.5114/A.2799 - FINANCE/Ways and Means;
Fiscal implications
No significant fiscal impact to the State.
Effective date
This bill shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.