What's happening
This bill requires New York public authorities to hold a public hearing before procuring over $100,000 in materials from overseas for capital projects.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and public oversight. by requiring authorities to publicly explain and justify major overseas purchases, potentially allowing for concerns about costs, quality, or local job impacts to be raised before contracts are finalized.
Could encourage greater use of domestic suppliers. by making the process of overseas procurement more visible and possibly more cumbersome, which might shift decision-making toward local or national vendors.
Allows community input on spending priorities. for large capital projects, giving residents and stakeholders a chance to question or support the reasoning behind importing materials, which can affect local economies and labor markets.
Potentially slows down procurement processes. for public authorities, as they must plan for and conduct at least one public hearing before entering into significant overseas contracts, possibly impacting project timelines.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Hold Hearings for Overseas Spending
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2631
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 28, 2019
Introduced by Sen. LANZA -- 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 requiring public hearings where procurements valued over one hundred thousand dollars are made overseas
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Article 1 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new title 3 to read as follows:
TITLE 3
GENERAL PROVISIONS Section 9. Public hearings.
§ 9. Public hearings. A public authority created by or existing under this chapter or any other law of the state shall hold at least one public hearing prior to procuring materials overseas valued over one hundred thousand dollars for capital projects.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07423-01-9
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 requiring public hearings where procurements valued over one hundred thousand dollars are made overseas
Purpose or general idea of bill
Requires a public authority created under Section 1, Article 1 of the public authorities law or existing under this chapter or any other law of the State of New York to hold at least one public hearing prior to procuring materials overseas valued at over one hundred thousand dollars for capital projects.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 amends Title 3 by adding Section 9 General Provisions
Justification
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to rebuild the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge using nearly 15,000 tons of steel outsourced to China, taking away the opportunity for American workers to provide for their families. Many of these workers are currently working reduced hours, are laid off or even worse - unemployed. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is an iconic piece of New York City, linking the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn. Millions of New Yorkers cross this bridge and they deserve the best and safest transportation network they can have. They deserve their infrastructure investments to be made here by American steelmakers and steelworkers.
Unfortunately, our laws allow projects built with toll dollars, such as the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, to be exempt from Buy American provisions because those only apply to projects built with tax dollars. This bill will create a process whereby public authorities will have to explain themselves to toll payers when shopping around for materials for capital projects.
Prior legislative history
2018: S.6288 - Referred to Corporations / A.7027 - Referred to Corpo- rations 2017: S.6288 - Referred to Corporations / A.1027 - Referred to Corpo- rations 2016: S.3781 - Passed Senate / A.3163 - Referred to Corporations 2015: S.3781 - Passed Senate / A.3163 - Referred to Corporations 2014: S.5892 - 3rd Reading Calendar / A.8107 - Referred to Corporations 2013: S.5892 - Referred to Rules / A.8107 - Referred to Corporations
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall, take effect on the thirtieth 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.