NY State Senate Bill 2019-S4908

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Local Government 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
Jan 08, 2020	referred to local government
Mar 29, 2019	referred to local government

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3319
Current Committee:: Senate Local Government
Law Section:: General Municipal Law
Laws Affected:: Add Art 13-E §300, amd §30, Gen Muni L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2015-2016: A5927
2017-2018: A1513
2021-2022: S1815, A1166
2023-2024: S3353, A2852

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires municipalities to maintain municipal websites.

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S4908

SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation
to requiring municipalities to maintain municipal websites

 
PURPOSE::

This bill would require all counties, cities, towns and villages to
maintain an official website.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill amends the general municipal law by adding a new
article 13-e entitled "municipal websites".

The legislation will require municipalities to maintain a website that
is accessible to the public and provides important information to resi-
dents. Websites must contain basic information, financial reports, meet-
ing and election notices, meeting agendas and minutes, and an updated
version of local code or laws.

Section two of the bill amends section 30 of the general municipal law
as it relates to clarifying that all municipalities must post financial
reports on their official website.

Section three of the bill relates to the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Municipal website provides residents with basic information on elected
officials, services, local laws and municipal documents. This bill would
create an unprecedented level of transparency by requiring that all
local governments maintain a website where residents can access up to
date information.

A 2014 report by the Empire Center highlighted the poor quality of
municipal websites many of which lacked basic information. The report
found that less than 20% of local governments received a passing grade
on their website's availability of information and usability including
two municipalities that did not have a website.

This reports findings are troubling. In 2019, there is no excuse for a
municipality not to have a website that is updated regularly and
provides citizens with basic information about the operations of their
local government.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

Assembly
A1513 of 2017-18 - Referred to Local Governments
A5927 of 2015-16 - Referred to Local Governments

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:: None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become law.

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4908
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 29, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
 
 AN ACT to amend the general municipal  law,  in  relation  to  requiring
   municipalities to maintain municipal websites
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new  arti-
 cle 13-E to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 13-E
                            MUNICIPAL WEBSITES
 SECTION 300. MUNICIPAL WEBSITES.
   §  300.  MUNICIPAL WEBSITES. 1. ALL MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS SHALL MAIN-
 TAIN AN OFFICIAL WEBSITE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE OFFICIAL  WEBSITE
 SHALL  CONTAIN  BASIC  INFORMATION ON THE MUNICIPALITY INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO HOURS OF OPERATIONS, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND SERVICES PROVIDED.
 THE WEBSITE SHOULD CONTAIN AN  EASILY  UNDERSTOOD  PRIVACY  POLICY  THAT
 INFORMS  WEBSITE VISITORS OF ANY INFORMATION THAT IS BEING COLLECTED AND
 HOW IT IS BEING USED.
   2. OFFICIAL MUNICIPAL WEBSITES SHOULD BE UPDATED ON  A  REGULAR  BASIS
 AND CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
   A. ALL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION THIRTY OF THIS CHAPTER;
   B. NOTICE OF ALL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND PUBLIC MEET-
 INGS INCLUDING REGULAR BOARD OR LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS;
   C.  AGENDA  AND  MINUTES  OF MUNICIPAL MEETINGS AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE
 SEVEN OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW; AND
   D. UPDATED VERSION OF THE MUNICIPALITY'S CODE OR LAWS.
   § 2.  Subdivision 7 of section 30 of the  general  municipal  law,  as
 added  by  section  10  of  part O of chapter 56 of the laws of 2008, is
 amended to read as follows:
   7. [To the extent practicable, each] EACH municipal corporation  shall
 make  accessible  [to  the public via its official internet web site] ON
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD02134-01-9

 S. 4908                             2
 
 ITS OFFICIAL MUNICIPAL WEBSITE  documentation  pertaining  to  its  most
 recent  annual financial reports, current year budget, most recent inde-
 pendent audit report and most recent fiscal performance plan  or  multi-
 year  financial plan required pursuant to paragraph g of subdivision ten
 of section fifty-four of the state finance law, unless such  information
 is  covered  by  subdivision  two  of section eighty-seven of the public
 officers law.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law.

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Senate Bill S4908

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Local Government Committee

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Details

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S4908

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Sponsored By

James Skoufis

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Local Government Committee

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Details

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2019-S4908 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments