New E-Communications Legisaltion Promotes Government Efficiency

Local governments will now be able to distribute proposed laws electronically

ALBANY – Legislation passed by the State Legislature will improve government efficiency and save local taxpayers money.

Under Senate bill 3018A, sponsored by Senator Catharine Young (R,C,I– Olean) and Assemblyman Joseph Giglio (R,C,I-Gowanda), local governments will now have the ability to deliver proposed laws to members of the legislative body by email. The measure is intended as a way to save local taxpayers money while also helping municipalities become more efficient.

“Thanks to a constitutional amendment made last fall, voters helped the State Legislature go paperless. In this age of modern technology, continued reliance on outdated ways of communicating simply doesn’t make sense. Albany has already taken the first step to establish electronic communication of bills, now we are giving our local governments the same option. Most importantly, this small change will help cut costs for our local governments,” said Senator Young.

“Local governments face tight budgets. With homeowners and families throughout our state are looking for relief, every dollar is precious. By eliminating unnecessary expenses, like printed copies of proposed laws that can be viewed electronically, we are promoting efficiency,” Senator Young said.

“Electronic distribution of bills will help local governments operate more efficiently and cost-effectively,” said Assemblyman Giglio. “If state government can distribute legislation by email, there’s no reason we should continue this mandate on local governments. I applaud the Senator and Assemblywoman Galef for their efforts to pass this important legislation.”

Once signed into law, local governments will have the option to pass a resolution authorizing electronic delivery of bills. If the resolution is passed unanimously, they will then be able to distribute proposed legislation by email bodies in .pdf format.

Important mechanisms remain in place to ensure that laws are not passed without through review, including the requirement that communications be done at least ten days prior to the legislation’s passage. Each member of the legislature also must have an email address, and the local government clerk must have access to each email address.

“Helping our local governments find ways to cut costs is a priority for me, and this is one way to accomplish that goal. Modernizing the process for local governments, coupled with fiscal responsibility, will result in meaningful saving for homeowners and families. I am glad that we have been able to provide our local governments with this important opportunity,” Senator Young said.