What's happening
This bill requires public bodies to post meeting notices online, email registered individuals, and provide electronic updates on significant projects.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and public access. by requiring meeting notices to be posted online and sent via email to registered individuals, making it easier for the public to know when and where government meetings occur.
Empowers citizens to stay informed. about major government projects by mandating public bodies to establish email update systems for significant projects, including contract awards, timelines, and environmental reviews.
Helps ensure accountability for large expenditures. by specifically flagging projects involving major public funds and those of significant public interest, enabling closer scrutiny and public oversight.
Reduces barriers to participation. for those who may not rely on traditional physical postings or legal notices, thereby making government processes more accessible to a broader segment of the community.
Albany, before your first meeting.
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Who cares
Public bodies
They would have to post meeting notices online and email registered recipients when able, and establish email updates on significant projects to the extent practicable.
Residents monitoring government meetings
Those registered with a public body would receive email notices of meeting times and places when the body has the ability to send them.
Contractors seeking public contracts
Project email updates would include pending contract awards exceeding the bill’s threshold tied to total projected project cost.
Environmental advocates
Significant-project updates would include the status of environmental impact statements required under local, state or federal law.
Headline styles
Expand Government Meeting Notices
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4274
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 1, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to expanding requirements for public notification of public meetings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 104 of the public officers law, as added by chapter 511 of the laws of 1976 and such section as renumbered by chapter 652 of the laws of 1983, is amended and a new subdivision 3-a is added to read as follows:
3. [The public notice provided for by this section shall not be construed to require publication as a legal notice] When a public body has the ability to do so, notice of the time and place of a meeting given in accordance with subdivision one or two of this section shall also:
a. be conspicuously posted on an internet website; and
b. be sent by electronic mail to any individuals who have registered with the public body to receive such notice by electronic mail.
3-a. To the extent practicable, a public body shall also establish a system for individuals to register for on-going electronic mails containing information on the status of its significant projects. Significant projects are projects determined by the public body to involve a major expenditure of public funds or are of significant interest to the public. These include, but are not limited to:
a. pending awards of contracts costing in excess of ten percent or more of the total projected project cost;
b. project timelines and milestones;
c. and the status of environmental impact statements on the projects conducted pursuant to local, state or federal law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04412-01-9
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.