New York A 549: Relates to publishing records of public interest by agencies and the legislature

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A00549 Summary:

BILL NOA00549 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S00334

&nbsp

SPONSORPaulin

&nbsp

COSPNSRMcDonald

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §84, ren §90 to be §90-a, add §90, Pub Off L

&nbsp

Relates to publishing records of public interest by agencies and the legislature on their websites.

Go to top A00549 Actions:

BILL NOA00549 

&nbsp

01/08/2025referred to governmental operations

01/07/2026referred to governmental operations

Go to topA00549 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA00549 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA00549 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 549

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 (Prefiled)

 January 8, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
 on Governmental Operations

 AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to publishing
 records of public interest by agencies and the state legislature

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 84 of the public officers law, as added by chapter
 2 933 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
 3 § 84. Legislative declaration. The legislature hereby finds that a
 4 free society is maintained when government is responsive and responsible
 5 to the public, and when the public is aware of governmental actions. The
 6 more open a government is with its citizenry, the greater the under-
 7 standing and participation of the public in government.
 8 As state and local government services increase and public problems
 9 become more sophisticated and complex and therefore harder to solve, and
 10 with the resultant increase in revenues and expenditures, it is incum-
 11 bent upon the state and its localities to extend public accountability
 12 wherever and whenever feasible.
 13 The people's right to know the process of governmental decision-making
 14 and to review the documents and statistics leading to determinations is
 15 basic to our society. Access to such information should not be thwarted
 16 by shrouding it with the cloak of secrecy or confidentiality.
 17 Since the freedom of information law was first adopted, advances in
 18 technology have enhanced the ability to gain access to and widely
 19 disseminate public information. Accordingly, the legislature finds that
 20 government agencies, when agencies have the ability to do so, should
 21 publish records proactively on the internet that are of public interest
 22 and available under this article.
 23 The legislature therefore declares that government is the public's
 24 business and that the public, individually and collectively and repres-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01424-01-5

 A. 549 2

 1 ented by a free press, should have access to the records of government
 2 in accordance with the provisions of this article.
 3 § 2. Section 90 of the public officers law is renumbered section 90-a
 4 and a new section 90 is added to read as follows:
 5 § 90. Records of public interest. 1. Each agency and house of the
 6 state legislature shall publish, on its internet website, when the agen-
 7 cy or house of the state legislature has the ability to do so, records
 8 or portions of records that are available to the public pursuant to the
 9 provisions of this article, and which, in consideration of their nature,
 10 content or subject matter, are determined by the agency to be of
 11 substantial interest to the public. Any such records may be removed from
 12 the internet website when the agency or house of the state legislature
 13 determines that they are no longer of substantial interest to the
 14 public. Any such records may be removed from the internet website when
 15 they have reached the end of their legal retention period. Guidance on
 16 creating records in accessible formats and ensuring their continuing
 17 accessibility shall be available from the office for technology and the
 18 state archives.
 19 2. The provisions of subdivision one of this section shall not apply
 20 to records or portions of records the disclosure of which would consti-
 21 tute an unwarranted in