BILL NUMBER: S6852
SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to requiring all
public bodies to live stream open meetings and public hearings and make
the recordings of such meetings and hearings available on the webpage of
the public body
 
PURPOSE:
This legislation would require local governments live stream open meet-
ings and public hearing, as well as to make these recordings available
on their website for a minimum of five years.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Section 104 by adding a new subdivision 5-a which would
require local governments to the extent practicable stream all open
meetings and public hearings on its website in real time. Further, this
section requires video recordings to be posted within five days of the
meeting or public hearing, and shall maintain these recordings for not
less than five years. Section 2 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Governor Cuomo has issued an executive
order calling for the live streaming of public meetings as local govern-
ments met remotely. Local governments adjusted and were able to comply
with this executive order, and the public has embraced this increased
accessibility to their elected officials. In Buffalo, a City Council
meeting had over 18,000 views, and in Ogdensburg a server crashed as
over 3,000 constituents attempted to view the meeting. These are two
examples that show how embraced this concept is by the public. Govern-
ment, both on the State and Local level should be doing everything
possible to increase public participation, and this legislation attempts
to increase accessibility to the public. In addition, Chapter 185, of
the Laws of 2019 required IDA's to adhere to the same requirements as
constructed within this legislation.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023/24: S4476A - Senate Investigations and Government Operations
Committee
2021/22: S539 - Senate Investigations and Government Operations Commit-
tee
2020: New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day.

Statutes affected:
S6852: 104 public officers law