Bill Text: NY A05649 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Authorizes state agencies to publish and transmit certain rule making notices by electronic means; provides for the provision of the state register by electronic means; authorizes the legislative administrative regulations review commission to accept data transmitted by electronic means.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-06 - referred to governmental operations [A05649 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-A05649-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         5649
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                     March 3, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SCHIMMINGER -- read once and referred to the
         Committee on Governmental Operations
       AN ACT to amend the state administrative procedure  act,  the  executive
         law and the legislative law, in relation to the transmittal of certain
         records by electronic means
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 202 of the  state
    2  administrative  procedure  act,  as  added  by chapter 17 of the laws of
    3  1984, is amended to read as follows:
    4    (c) When appropriate in the judgment of the agency, a notice may  also
    5  be published in newspapers of general circulation and in trade, industry
    6  or professional publications as the agency may select, AND MAY BE POSTED
    7  ON  THE  AGENCY'S INTERNET WEBSITE, AND MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO NEWSPAPERS
    8  AND TRADE, INDUSTRY OR PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS BY ELECTRONIC MEANS  IN
    9  ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW.
   10    S 2. Subdivision 6-a of section 202 of the state administrative proce-
   11  dure  act,  as  added by chapter 850 of the laws of 1990, paragraphs (a)
   12  and (b) as amended by chapter 171 of the laws of  1994,  is  amended  to
   13  read as follows:
   14    6-a.  Distribution  of  rule  making  information. (a) An agency shall
   15  transmit a copy of any rule making  notice  prepared  pursuant  to  this
   16  article  to  the  governor,  the  temporary president of the senate, the
   17  speaker of the assembly, the administrative regulations  review  commis-
   18  sion  and the office of regulatory and management assistance at the time
   19  such notice is submitted to the secretary of state  for  publication  in
   20  the  state  register.  Such  transmittal shall include the complete rule
   21  text, regulatory  impact  statement,  regulatory  flexibility  analysis,
   22  rural  area  flexibility  analysis,  or revisions thereof, and any other
   23  information submitted to the secretary of state pursuant to  this  arti-
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01977-01-5
       A. 5649                             2
    1  cle.  FURTHERMORE, SUCH TRANSMITTAL MAY BE COMPLETED BY ELECTRONIC MEANS
    2  IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW.
    3    (b)  An agency shall make a copy of the complete text of any proposed,
    4  adopted or emergency rule, regulatory impact statement, regulatory flex-
    5  ibility analysis, rural area flexibility analysis, or revisions  thereof
    6  available,  IN  WRITTEN  AND ELECTRONIC FORMS, to the public at the time
    7  such documents are submitted to the secretary of state  for  publication
    8  in  the  state register and shall send to any person a copy of such text
    9  upon written OR ELECTRONIC request.
   10    (c) An agency shall notify every person who has submitted a written OR
   11  ELECTRONIC request to be notified of all  proposed,  revised,  emergency
   12  and/or  adopted  rules which may affect such person. Such requests shall
   13  expire annually on the thirty-first day of December  with  renewals  for
   14  the  succeeding  year to be accepted on or after December first. Notices
   15  issued pursuant to such requests shall be sent in writing OR  ELECTRONIC
   16  FORM  to  the  last  address OR ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS specified by the
   17  person. An agency may charge any person requesting  such  notice  a  fee
   18  consisting of the cost of preparation, handling and postage.
   19    S  3.  The opening paragraph of subdivision 3 of section 202-bb of the
   20  state administrative procedure act, as added by chapter 171 of the  laws
   21  of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
   22    In proposing a rule for adoption or in adopting a rule on an emergency
   23  basis,  the agency shall issue a rural area flexibility analysis regard-
   24  ing the rule being proposed for adoption or  the  emergency  rule  being
   25  adopted.  A  copy of such analysis and any finding, and reasons for such
   26  finding, pursuant to this section, shall be submitted  IN  WRITING,  AND
   27  MAY  BE  TRANSMITTED  ELECTRONICALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE OF
   28  THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW, to the governor, the  temporary  president  of
   29  the  senate,  the speaker of the assembly, the office for regulatory and
   30  management assistance and the administrative regulations review  commis-
   31  sion  at the time such analysis is submitted OR ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMIT-
   32  TED to the secretary of state for publication and, upon written OR ELEC-
   33  TRONIC request, a copy shall be sent OR  ELECTRONICALLY  TRANSMITTED  to
   34  any other person. Each rural area flexibility analysis shall contain:
   35    S  4.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision 1 of section 202-d of the state
   36  administrative procedure act, as amended by chapter 462 of the  laws  of
   37  2012, is amended to read as follows:
   38    (a)  The departments of health, education, environmental conservation,
   39  financial services, labor, agriculture and markets, motor  vehicles  and
   40  state,  the  offices  of  children and family services and temporary and
   41  disability assistance, the division of housing and community renewal and
   42  the workers' compensation board, and any other department  specified  by
   43  the  governor or his or her designee shall, and any other agency may, in
   44  its discretion, submit IN WRITING OR ELECTRONICALLY IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
   45  ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW to the secretary of state, for
   46  publication  in  the first regular issue of the state register published
   47  during the month of January and the last  regular  issue  of  the  state
   48  register  published  in  June,  a  regulatory agenda to solicit comments
   49  concerning any rule which the agency is considering to propose, but  for
   50  which  no  notice of proposed rule making has been submitted pursuant to
   51  subdivision one of section two hundred two of this article.
   52    S 5. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section  202-d  of  the
   53  state  administrative procedure act, as added by chapter 698 of the laws
   54  of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
   55    An agency may, in its discretion, submit IN WRITING OR  ELECTRONICALLY
   56  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  ARTICLE  THREE  OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW to the
       A. 5649                             3
    1  secretary of state, for publication in the first regular  issue  of  the
    2  state  register  published during the months of January, May and Septem-
    3  ber, a regulatory agenda to afford the agency an opportunity to  solicit
    4  comments  concerning any rule which the agency is considering proposing,
    5  but for which no notice of  proposed  rule  making  has  been  submitted
    6  pursuant to subdivision one of section two hundred two of this [chapter]
    7  ARTICLE.  A  regulatory  agenda  shall be comprised of summaries of such
    8  rules. Each summary shall, in less than two thousand words, contain,  in
    9  so far as practicable:
   10    S  6.  Subdivisions  2  and  3  of section 101-a of the executive law,
   11  subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 610 of the laws of 1987 and subdivi-
   12  sion 3 as amended by chapter 483 of the laws of  1988,  are  amended  to
   13  read as follows:
   14    2.  Except  as provided in subdivision three of this section, at least
   15  forty-five days prior to either the adoption  of  any  rule,  or,  if  a
   16  public hearing is required by statute, at least forty-five days prior to
   17  the  first  public  hearing  on a proposed rule, the agency proposing to
   18  take such action shall send IN WRITING OR MAY TRANSMIT ELECTRONICALLY IN
   19  ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW a notification
   20  of such proposed action to the temporary president of the senate and the
   21  speaker of the assembly.   This notification shall:  (a)  refer  to  the
   22  statutory  authority  under  which  the action is proposed, (b) give the
   23  time and place of any public hearing that may  be  scheduled  concerning
   24  the  proposed  action, or state the manner in which data, views or argu-
   25  ments may be submitted to the agency concerning the proposed action, (c)
   26  contain a copy of the complete  text  of  the  proposed  rule,  and  (d)
   27  contain  a fiscal statement setting forth the fiscal consequences of the
   28  proposed action on the state and its local governments.
   29    3. If the agency finds that it is necessary for  the  preservation  of
   30  the  public  health,  safety  or  general  welfare  to dispense with the
   31  requirements of subdivision two OF THIS SECTION, the agency may dispense
   32  with such requirements and adopt the  rule,  as  an  emergency  measure.
   33  Within  five  days of the filing of such emergency measure in the office
   34  of the department of state, the agency taking such action shall send  OR
   35  TRANSMIT,  AS THE CASE MAY BE, the temporary president of the senate and
   36  the speaker of the assembly a notification  containing  the  information
   37  required  by  subdivision  two  of this section; provided, however, such
   38  notification shall also: (a) include a brief statement setting forth the
   39  reasons why the agency finds that it is necessary for  the  preservation
   40  of  the  public  health,  safety or general welfare to dispense with the
   41  requirements of subdivision two of this section and adopt the rule as an
   42  emergency measure, and (b) provide the date the emergency  measure  will
   43  terminate  if  the  agency  does  not  intend to adopt such measure as a
   44  permanent rule, or indicate that the agency intends to adopt such  meas-
   45  ure  as a permanent rule, in which case compliance with the notification
   46  requirements of this section shall be deemed satisfied.  The  effective-
   47  ness  of  any such emergency measure, unless adopted as a permanent rule
   48  in the manner prescribed by law, shall not exceed ninety days after  the
   49  filing  of  such  measure  in  the  office  of  the department of state,
   50  provided, however, if such emergency measure is readopted prior  to  the
   51  expiration  of such ninety day period such readoption and any subsequent
   52  readoptions shall remain in effect for no longer than sixty days.
   53    S 7. Section 146 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 17 of the
   54  laws of 1984, paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 as amended by  chapter  189
   55  of  the  laws  of  1996, subdivision 4-a as amended by chapter 41 of the
   56  laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
       A. 5649                             4
    1    S 146. Publication of certain public notices.  1.  The  department  of
    2  state  shall  publish,  pursuant  to the schedule in section one hundred
    3  forty-seven of this article, AND POST ON ITS INTERNET WEBSITE a publica-
    4  tion to be known as the state register, in which shall be published  AND
    5  POSTED from time to time as received by such department:
    6    (a)  rules,  orders,  designations, and notices submitted by the chief
    7  administrator of the courts;
    8    (b) notices and advertisements required by state  statute  or  federal
    9  law, rule or regulation to be published by an agency in a newspaper;
   10    (c)  notices  required  by  statute  to  be published in newspapers in
   11  actions against foreign corporations;
   12    (d) notices and job impact statements required by the  state  adminis-
   13  trative procedure act to be published in the state register; and
   14    (e)  any other matter required by statute to be published in the state
   15  register.
   16    2. The secretary of state may, at his OR HER discretion,  publish  AND
   17  POST in the state register any notice or information which is not other-
   18  wise  required  by statute to be submitted to him OR HER by an agency or
   19  public corporation for publication in the state register,  in  instances
   20  where such publication AND POSTING will serve the public interest.
   21    3.  With  regard  to  rule making notices required to be published AND
   22  POSTED in the state register pursuant to article two of the state admin-
   23  istrative procedure act, the secretary of  state  may,  at  his  OR  HER
   24  discretion,  publish AND POST the complete text of a proposed or adopted
   25  rule, which is not otherwise required to be published AND POSTED in  the
   26  state  register,  in  instances  where such publication AND POSTING will
   27  serve the public interest. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL  ACCEPT  FROM  A
   28  STATE AGENCY ALL RULEMAKING NOTICES, STATEMENTS AND ANALYSES AS REQUIRED
   29  BY  THE STATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT, DATA, RULES, AND REGULATIONS
   30  AS PROVIDED FOR BY ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW.
   31    4. With regard to a notice of adoption published in the state register
   32  pursuant to article two of the state administrative procedure  act,  for
   33  which  the  corresponding  notice  of proposed rule making published AND
   34  POSTED in the state register included the complete text of the rule, the
   35  secretary of state may, at his  OR  HER  discretion,  include  only  the
   36  changes in such text in the notice of adoption.
   37    4-a.  Notice of the availability of any state or federal funding which
   38  is to be distributed by any agency upon application by any municipality,
   39  school board, school district, not-for-profit organization or any  other
   40  individual  or  organization entitled to apply for such funding pursuant
   41  to any law, rule or regulation governing the distribution of such  funds
   42  shall  be  published AND POSTED in the state register. Such notice shall
   43  appear in the register no later than forty-five days prior to  the  last
   44  day for receipt of applications for such funding.  Such notice shall not
   45  be required: (i) whenever a notice has been published in the procurement
   46  opportunities  newsletter  pursuant  to  article  four-C of the economic
   47  development law; (ii) for state or federal transportation  funding;  and
   48  (iii)  in  those  instances where an entity has been specifically desig-
   49  nated by law or legislative resolution to receive  funding.  Failure  to
   50  publish  the  notice in a timely manner shall not be a basis for setting
   51  aside an award or challenging a contract or other legal claim.
   52    5. The publication AND POSTING of notices and  advertisements  in  the
   53  state  register  shall be additional to their publication in newspapers,
   54  whenever publication in newspapers is required by statute.
   55    6. The secretary of state shall promulgate rules  establishing  proce-
   56  dure,  forms,  font  and style for submission of material by any person,
       A. 5649                             5
    1  agency or public corporation for publication AND POSTING  in  the  state
    2  register.
    3    S  8. Subdivision 3 of section 148 of the executive law, as amended by
    4  chapter 636 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
    5    3. Subscriptions to the state register shall be made available to  the
    6  public  by  either  first or second class mail, OR IN ELECTRONIC FORM at
    7  the election of the subscriber. A reasonable rate for a subscription  to
    8  PRINTED  COPIES  OF  the  regular  issue and quarterly index required by
    9  subdivision three of section one hundred forty-seven of this article, to
   10  be not more than eighty dollars per year for first class  mail  delivery
   11  and not more than forty dollars per year for second class mail delivery,
   12  shall  be  set  by  the  secretary  of state. The secretary of state may
   13  charge no more than one dollar and fifty cents  per  single  copy  of  a
   14  PRINTED  regular  issue  or quarterly index of the state register. Rates
   15  shall not be set at such a level that the anticipated total subscription
   16  revenues exceed the total cost of producing, printing  and  distributing
   17  the state register.
   18    S  9. Subdivision 1 of section 149 of the executive law, as amended by
   19  chapter 17 of the laws of 1984, is amended and a new  subdivision  4  is
   20  added to read as follows:
   21    1.  The  PRINTED  VERSION  OF THE state register shall be an eight and
   22  one-half by eleven inch booklet with three holes  punched  in  the  left
   23  hand  margin  to make such register suitable for storage in an eight and
   24  one-half by eleven inch loose-leaf binder.
   25    4. TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, EVERY  VERSION  OF  THE  STATE  REGISTER
   26  TRANSMITTED  BY  ELECTRONIC  MEANS  SHALL  SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE
   27  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   28    S 10. Section 87 of the legislative law is amended  by  adding  a  new
   29  subdivision 4 to read as follows:
   30    4.  THE  COMMISSION SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO REQUEST AND RECEIVE, FROM A
   31  STATE  AGENCY,  ALL  RULEMAKING  NOTICES,  STATEMENTS  AND  ANALYSES  AS
   32  PROVIDED  FOR  PURSUANT TO THE STATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT, DATA,
   33  RULES, REGULATIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION BY ELECTRONIC MEANS AS PROVIDED
   34  FOR BY ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW.
   35    S 11. This act shall take effect on  the  one  hundred  twentieth  day
   36  after  it shall have become a law, provided that the amendments to para-
   37  graph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 202-d of the state  administrative
   38  procedure act, made by section four of this act, shall be subject to the
   39  expiration  and  reversion  of such subdivision pursuant to section 2 of
   40  chapter 402 of the laws of 1994, as amended, when  upon  such  date  the
   41  provisions  of section five of this act shall take effect; and provided,
   42  further, that effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or
   43  repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
   44  this act on its effective date are authorized and directed  to  be  made
   45  and completed on or before such effective date.
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