NY State Senate Bill 2013-S236A

Senate Bill S236A

2013-2014 Legislative Session

Authorizes and directs the committee on open government to study proactive disclosure as a means of increasing transparency and access to government information

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Investigations And Government Operations Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 28, 2014	print number 236a
Mar 28, 2014	amend and recommit to investigations and government operations
Jan 08, 2014	referred to investigations and government operations
Jan 09, 2013	referred to investigations and government operations

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2013-S236 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4364
Current Committee:: Senate Investigations And Government Operations
Law Section:: Public Officers
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S3530, A7399
2011-2012: S88, A2251
2015-2016: S188
2017-2018: S1846, S7097
2019-2020: S2344
2021-2022: S3120
2023-2024: S623

2013-S236 - Summary

Authorizes and directs the committee on open government to study proactive disclosure as a means of increasing transparency and access to government information.

2013-S236 - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S236

TITLE OF BILL:
An  act in relation to authorizing and directing the committee on open
government to study proactive disclosure  as  a  means  of  increasing
transparency and access to government information

PURPOSE:
To  authorize  the  State  Committee  on  Open Government to conduct a
feasibility  study  on  requiring  state  and  municipal  agencies  to
proactively  disclose  documents that are available under Article 6 of
the public officers law.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 sets forth the legislative findings and  intent,  section  2
authorizes  the  New  York State Committee on Open Government to study
and report on the following:

* The feasibility of requiring agencies as defined in subdivision 3 of
section 86  of  the  public  officer's  law  to  proactively  disclose
documents available under Article 6 of the public officer's law.

*  Specific  findings  and  legislative  recommendations  relating  to
mandatory proactive disclosure by agencies.

* Estimated costs or savings of proactive disclosure.

Requires a report to the Governor, Temporary president of  the  Senate
and Speaker of the Assembly no later than January 31, 2016.

EXISTING LAW:
Article  6  of  the  Public  Officers  law  set  forth  the Freedom of
Information Law.

JUSTIFICATION:
As information technology throughout the world continues to develop by
leaps  and  bounds,  the  availability  and  ease  of   retrieval   of
information  of  information  of  all  types  has become more and more
effortless.

The goal of the original Freedom of  Information  Law  (FOIL)  was  to
promote  the  public  good  by  disclosing  information  as  widely as
possible and without impediment, but it has its limitations because of
the burden  that  it  places  on  the  public  to  make  requests  for
information.  While some state and local records are already available
electronically, this information has been made public in  a  haphazard
and uncoordinated fashion.

The  Legislature,  through this bill, has the opportunity to study the
feasibility of requiring agencies to pro actively disclose information
in a responsible, comprehensive, coordinated, cost effective  fashion.
It  requires  the  Committee  on open Government to develop a plan for
mandatory proactive disclosure which will allow for the utilization of
the new technology to allow a secure conduit for the public to  access
vital  public  information  and documents that are available under the
public officers law.


LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2009-2010: S.3530A/A.7399A (Passed Senate 2009)
2012:      Committed to Rules

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2013-S236 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                   236

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 9, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. SQUADRON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
  ment Operations

AN ACT in relation to authorizing and directing the  committee  on  open
  government  to  study  proactive  disclosure  as a means of increasing
  transparency and access to government information

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Legislative  findings.  The  legislature  finds  that the
current freedom of information law, enacted in 1977,  has  served  as  a
critical  vehicle under which the public has gained access to records of
state and local governmental entities.  The  legislature  further  finds
that  the freedom of information law places the burden on the individual
to request information from an agency,  but  that  the  use  of  current
information  technology, combined with a commitment to proactive disclo-
sure, has the potential to provide information to the public to an  even
greater degree than does the current law.
  S 2. The New York state committee on open government is hereby author-
ized  and  directed to: (a) study the feasibility of requiring agencies,
as defined in subdivision 3 of section 86 of the public officers law, to
proactively disclose documents that are available under article 6 of the
public officers law; (b) make specific findings and  legislative  recom-
mendations  relating  to mandatory proactive disclosure by agencies; (c)
estimate the costs or savings of proactive disclosure;  and  (d)  report
its  findings to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and
the speaker of the assembly no later than January 31, 2016.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.


 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD00161-01-3

2013-S236A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4364
Current Committee:: Senate Investigations And Government Operations
Law Section:: Public Officers
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S3530, A7399
2011-2012: S88, A2251
2015-2016: S188
2017-2018: S1846, S7097
2019-2020: S2344
2021-2022: S3120
2023-2024: S623

2013-S236A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Authorizes and directs the committee on open government to study proactive disclosure as a means of increasing transparency and access to government information.

2013-S236A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S236A

TITLE OF BILL:  An act in relation to authorizing and directing the
committee on open government to study proactive disclosure as a means
of increasing transparency and access to government information

PURPOSE:  To authorize the State Committee on Open Government to
conduct a feasibility study on requiring state and municipal agencies
to proactively disclose documents that are available under Article 6
of the public officers law.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 sets forth the legislative findings and intent, section 2
authorizes the New York State Committee on Open Government to study
and report on the following:

* The feasibility of requiring agencies as defined in subdivision 3 of
section 86 of the public officer's law to proactively disclose
documents available under Article 6 of the public officer's law.

* Specific findings and legislative recommendations relating to
mandatory proactive disclosure by agencies.

* Estimated costs or savings of proactive disclosure.

Requires a report to the Governor, Temporary president of the Senate
and Speaker of the Assembly no later than January 31, 2017.

EXISTING LAW:  Article 6 of the Public Officers law set forth the
Freedom of Information Law.

JUSTIFICATION:  As information technology throughout the world
continues to develop by leaps and bounds, the availability and ease of
retrieval of information of information of all types has become more
and more effortless.

The goal of the original Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) was to
promote the public good by disclosing information as widely as
possible and without impediment, but it has its limitations because of
the burden that it places on the public to make requests for
information. While some state and local records are already available
electronically, this information has been made public in a haphazard
and uncoordinated fashion.

The Legislature, through this bill, has the opportunity to study the
feasibility of requiring agencies to pro actively disclose information
in a responsible, comprehensive, coordinated, cost effective fashion.
It requires the Committee on open Government to develop a plan for
mandatory proactive disclosure which will allow for the utilization of
the new technology to allow a secure conduit for the public to access
vital public information and documents that are available under the
public officers law.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2009-2010: S.3530A/A.7399A (Passed Senate 2009)
2012: Committed to Rules


FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.

2013-S236A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 236--A

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 9, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. SQUADRON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
  ment Operations -- recommitted to the Committee on Investigations  and
  Government  Operations  in  accordance  with  Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
  committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
  recommitted to said committee

AN  ACT  in  relation to authorizing and directing the committee on open
  government to study proactive disclosure  as  a  means  of  increasing
  transparency and access to government information

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1.  Legislative  findings.  The  legislature  finds  that  the
current  freedom  of  information  law, enacted in 1977, has served as a
critical vehicle under which the public has gained access to records  of
state  and  local  governmental  entities. The legislature further finds
that the freedom of information law places the burden on the  individual
to  request  information  from  an  agency,  but that the use of current
information technology, combined with a commitment to proactive  disclo-
sure,  has the potential to provide information to the public to an even
greater degree than does the current law.
  S 2. The New York state committee on open government is hereby author-
ized and directed to: (a) study the feasibility of  requiring  agencies,
as defined in subdivision 3 of section 86 of the public officers law, to
proactively disclose documents that are available under article 6 of the
public  officers  law; (b) make specific findings and legislative recom-
mendations relating to mandatory proactive disclosure by  agencies;  (c)
estimate  the  costs  or savings of proactive disclosure; and (d) report
its findings to the governor, the temporary president of the senate  and
the speaker of the assembly no later than January 31, 2017.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD00161-02-4

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