Governor Paterson Announces His Signing of the Public Authorities Reform Bill

On December 11, 2009 Governor David A. Paterson signed into law, the Public Authorites Reform Bill (S.1537-C/A.2209-C) sponsored by Senator Bill Perkins and Assemblyman Richard Brodsky. The bill will strengthen the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2005 by creating an Authorities Budget Office, prohibiting the creation of subsidiary authorities without legislative approval (with certain exceptions), making changes to the authority board's governing process, creating a fiduciary duty, enabling the comptroller to approve authority contracts, strengthening the rules on the disposition of public authority property, providing MWBE and creating whistleblower protections.