What's happening
This bill requires public bodies to ensure that meetings are audible to both in-person attendees and those watching broadcasts.
Why it matters
Expands accessibility and transparency. By mandating that meetings be audible to both in-person and remote attendees, the bill helps ensure that more people—including those with hearing challenges or those unable to attend in person—can follow government proceedings.
Raises standards for public engagement. The requirement for adequate audiovisual equipment (like microphones and speakers) pushes public bodies to invest in better technology, potentially improving the overall quality of civic participation and discourse.
Reduces barriers to remote oversight. With clear audio for broadcasts, journalists, advocates, and everyday citizens can more easily monitor and hold public officials accountable, even when they can't physically attend meetings.
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Who cares
Public bodies
They would have to make reasonable efforts to ensure meeting proceedings are audible in person and via broadcast by providing audiovisual equipment, including microphones and speakers.
In-person meeting attendees
They would benefit from the requirement to make proceedings adequately audible to those attending meetings in person.
- Watching
Broadcast viewers
They would be covered by the same audibility requirement, extending the obligation to people watching meetings via broadcast.
Headline styles
Make Public Meetings Audible
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
581
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to requiring public bodies to ensure that proceedings of meetings are audible for individuals in person and via broadcast
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 103 of the public officers law is amended by adding a new subdivision (g) to read as follows:
(g) Public bodies shall make or cause to be made reasonable efforts to ensure that proceedings of meetings are audible to those individuals who attend such meetings in person or via broadcast by providing audiovisual equipment, including but not limited to microphones and speakers to ensure that individuals in attendance as well as individuals watching via broadcast can adequately hear the proceedings of the meeting.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02375-01-5
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.