SENATE PASSES “SUNSHINE WEEK” BILL TO INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS TO LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS

Measure Requires Online Posting of Committee and Floor Votes and

Webcasting of Session and Committee Meetings

             The New York State Senate today passed legislation to make state legislative proceedings more open and transparent by expanding public access to session, committee meetings, and votes. The bill (S1909A), sponsored by Senator Carl L. Marcellino (R, Syosset), requires the webcasting and archiving of Senate and Assembly committees and hearings and the online posting of votes taken in committees or on the floor.     

Senator Marcellino said, “It is extremely important to have transparency in government in order to ensure public trust and participation. This legislation promotes accountability by allowing the concerned public to follow day-to-day activities of the State Legislature as well as their elected representatives’ actions, showing them how and why decisions are made.”

             The Senate website - http://www.nysenate.gov/ - enables the public to learn more about their legislative representatives and also includes archived videos of session and committee meetings, and committee and floor vote records. The bill passed today would require both houses to post this information on their respective websites.

             The bill is sponsored in the Assembly (A1887A) by Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi.