What's happening
This bill allows New York to provide competitive grants to local governments to reduce paper use and implement digital alternatives.
Why it matters
Encourages modernization and efficiency. By incentivizing local governments to reduce paper use and adopt digital alternatives, the bill could lead to faster, more efficient public services and streamlined internal processes.
Requires local investment. The matching funds requirement (25% of the grant) ensures local governments are financially committed, which may promote careful planning and sustainable implementation of digital projects.
Links to broader cost-saving initiatives. Grants can be counted toward government efficiency plans, potentially helping localities qualify for state incentives or demonstrate fiscal responsibility, which may impact future funding or tax relief.
Limits and equity considerations. The $10,000 cap per grant could help distribute funding more widely, but may also limit the scale of projects in larger municipalities, potentially favoring smaller or more targeted initiatives.
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Who cares
Local governments
Could compete for grants of up to $10,000 to reduce paper use and implement digital alternatives, subject to available appropriations and a local match equal to 25% of the grant.
Secretary of state
Would establish grant criteria and a publicly available competitive application, evaluation and award process, and could award grants.
Local officials preparing government efficiency plans
Could include grant awards in calculations demonstrating three-year cost savings and efficiencies in plans submitted to the director of the budget.
Headline styles
Cut Paperwork for Local Governments
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental 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.
Cut Paperwork for Local Governments
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor James Tedisco
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6140
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 28, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GALEF, ENGLEBRIGHT, ORTIZ, MOSLEY, GOTTFRIED, MONTESANO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to grants to assist local governments with reducing paper
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Article 7 of the executive law is amended by adding a new section 171 to read as follows:
§ 171. Grants to local governments for the reduction of paper use. 1. Within the annual amounts appropriated therefor, the secretary of state may award grants on a competitive basis to local governments in order to reduce paper usage and to implement digital alternatives to paper. The secretary of state shall by regulation establish criteria for such competitive grants, which shall at a minimum:
(a) provide that the maximum grant amount shall not exceed ten thousand dollars per local government;
(b) require local matching funds equal to twenty-five percent of the total amount of such grant; and
(c) establish an application, evaluation, and award process for such grant program, which shall be competitive and publicly available.
2. Grants awarded to local governments pursuant to this section may be included in calculations to demonstrate three year cost savings and efficiencies for government efficiency plans submitted to the director of the budget pursuant to subdivisions three and four of section three-d of the general municipal law.
3. For the purposes of this section, the term "local government" shall have the same meaning as in section three-c of the general municipal law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03896-01-9
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.