Bill Text: NY S00954 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Allows public bodies to conduct meetings via video conference technology as long as the public is given certain opportunities to view such video conference.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS [S00954 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S00954-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           954

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                     January 9, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
          ment Operations

        AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to conducting meet-
          ings of public bodies via video conference technology

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

     1    Section  1. Subdivision (c) of section 103 of the public officers law,
     2  as amended by section 1 of part WW of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
     3  amended to read as follows:
     4    (c) (i) A public body shall provide an opportunity for the  public  to
     5  attend, listen and observe meetings in at least one physical location at
     6  which a member participates.
     7    (ii)  Notwithstanding paragraph (i) of this subdivision, a public body
     8  of a municipal corporation, as   defined   by section sixty-six  of  the
     9  general  construction law, may conduct a meeting via video conference if
    10  such public body: (1) provides an opportunity for the public to  contem-
    11  poraneously  view  and  listen to such meeting online; (2) makes a video
    12  recording of such meeting; and (3) posts such video  recording  on  such
    13  public  body's  website  within  five  business days of such meeting. In
    14  addition, upon request of a member of the public, such public body shall
    15  make available a specific  location  within  the  jurisdiction  of  such
    16  municipal  corporation for the public to view and listen to such meeting
    17  online, provided such request is received  at   least forty-eight  hours
    18  prior to the time such meeting is scheduled to begin.
    19    §  2.  Subdivision  (c)  of section 103 of the public officers law, as
    20  added by chapter 289 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
    21    (c) (i) A public body that uses videoconferencing to conduct its meet-
    22  ings shall provide an opportunity for the public to attend,  listen  and
    23  observe [at any site at which a member participates].

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02567-01-3
        S. 954                              2

     1    (ii)  Notwithstanding paragraph (i) of this subdivision, a public body
     2  of a municipal corporation, as  defined  by  section  sixty-six  of  the
     3  general  construction law, may conduct a meeting via video conference if
     4  such public body: (1) provides an opportunity for the public to  contem-
     5  poraneously  view  and  listen to such meeting online; (2) makes a video
     6  recording of such meeting; and (3) posts such video  recording  on  such
     7  public  body's  website  within  five business days of such meeting.  In
     8  addition, upon request of a member of the public, such public body shall
     9  make available a specific  location  within  the  jurisdiction  of  such
    10  municipal  corporation for the public to view and listen to such meeting
    11  online, provided such request is received  at  least  forty-eight  hours
    12  prior to the time such meeting is scheduled to begin.
    13    §  3.  This  act shall take effect immediately; provided however, that
    14  the amendments to subdivision (c) of section 103 of the public  officers
    15  law  made  by section one of this act shall be subject to the expiration
    16  and reversion of such subdivision pursuant to section 4 of  part  WW  of
    17  chapter  56  of  the  laws  of 2022, as amended, when upon such date the
    18  provisions of section two of this act shall take effect.