S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    484
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT 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.
   § 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, 2024.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03353-01-1