NY State Senate Bill 2015-S4358

Senate Bill S4358

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Creates an internet website to discuss and introduce issues and ideas to the government of this state and to provide for the creation, viewing and signing of petitions

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to finance
Mar 16, 2015	referred to finance

co-Sponsors

2015-S4358 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §31-a, Exec L
Versions Introduced in 2017-2018 Legislative Session:: S2659

2015-S4358 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Creates an internet website to discuss and introduce issues and ideas to the government of this state and to provide for the creation, viewing and signing of petitions.

2015-S4358 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S4358

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the
creation of an internet website to discuss and introduce issues and
ideas to the government of this state and to provide for the creation,
viewing and signing of petitions

PURPOSE:  "The People of the State of New York" an internet website
that will allow constituents to: browse open petitions, create
petitions and add signatures to petitions in regards to specific
issues within New York State. If the petition meets the requirement of
2,500 signatures a response must be made by the executive or any state
agency that the executive designates to provide such response.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 31-a
to read as follows:

§ 31-a. The people of the State of New York; internet website. 1. The
department shall, in consultation with the office of information
technology services, develop and maintain an internet website for the
purpose of providing the people of this state with the opportunity to
voice opinions, create and sign petitions, and otherwise discuss and
introduce issues and ideas to the government of this state. Such
internet website shall be called " The People of the State of New

York" and shall use as its model the "we the People" internet website
implemented and maintained by the executive branch of the federal
government. Such internet website shall provide:

a. a platform for the people of this state to create, view, respond to
and sign petitions;

b. a blog maintained by the executive;

c. responses to petitions pursuant to subdivision two of this section;
and

d. any additional information the executive deems relevant.

2. Upon the creation of a petition on the internet website developed
and maintained pursuant to subdivision one of this section, any person
in this state may sign such petition as a method of demonstrating such
person's agreement with the content of such petition.Any petition that
receives two thousand five hundred or more signatures shall be
provided with a response on or before the sixtieth day after such
total of two thousand five hundred signatures was reached. Such
response shall be:

a. made by the executive, or by any state agency that the executive
designates to provide such response;

b. made in writing;

1. c. posted on the The People of State of New York Internet website.


JUSTIFICATION:  Throughout our history, Americans have used petitions
as a way to join together around issues they care about. This new
platform would give all New Yorkers a way to create and sign petitions
on a range of issues affecting our state much like the federal "We the
People Website". If a petition gathers 2,500 online signatures, it
would be reviewed by the executive, or by any state agency that the
executive designates, to provide an official response. It would also
assist our lawmakers in addressing the needs of their constituents by
seeing what the community at large thinks about specific issues.
Giving all New Yorkers a way to engage their government.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: NEW

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law, provided, however, that effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date. Is
authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.

2015-S4358 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  4358

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 16, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to  the  creation  of  an
  internet  website  to  discuss  and  introduce issues and ideas to the
  government of this state and to provide for the creation, viewing  and
  signing of petitions

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new  section  31-a
to read as follows:
  S  31-A. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; INTERNET WEBSITE. 1. THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE OF  INFORMATION  TECH-
NOLOGY  SERVICES,  DEVELOP  AND  MAINTAIN  AN  INTERNET  WEBSITE FOR THE
PURPOSE OF PROVIDING THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE WITH  THE  OPPORTUNITY  TO
VOICE  OPINIONS,  CREATE  AND  SIGN PETITIONS, AND OTHERWISE DISCUSS AND
INTRODUCE ISSUES AND IDEAS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS STATE. SUCH  INTER-
NET  WEBSITE  SHALL  BE CALLED "THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK" AND
SHALL USE AS ITS MODEL THE "WE THE PEOPLE" INTERNET WEBSITE  IMPLEMENTED
AND  MAINTAINED  BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SUCH
INTERNET WEBSITE SHALL PROVIDE:
  A. A PLATFORM FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE TO CREATE, VIEW, RESPOND TO
AND SIGN PETITIONS;
  B. A BLOG MAINTAINED BY THE EXECUTIVE;
  C. RESPONSES TO PETITIONS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
AND
  D. ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THE EXECUTIVE DEEMS RELEVANT.
  2. UPON THE CREATION OF A PETITION ON THE INTERNET  WEBSITE  DEVELOPED
AND  MAINTAINED  PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, ANY PERSON
IN THIS STATE MAY SIGN SUCH PETITION AS A METHOD OF  DEMONSTRATING  SUCH
PERSON'S  AGREEMENT WITH THE CONTENT OF SUCH PETITION. ANY PETITION THAT
RECEIVES TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED OR MORE SIGNATURES SHALL BE  PROVIDED

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD08045-01-5

S. 4358                             2

WITH  A  RESPONSE  ON OR BEFORE THE SIXTIETH DAY AFTER SUCH TOTAL OF TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SIGNATURES WAS REACHED. SUCH RESPONSE SHALL BE:
  A.  MADE  BY  THE EXECUTIVE, OR BY ANY STATE AGENCY THAT THE EXECUTIVE
DESIGNATES TO PROVIDE SUCH RESPONSE;
  B. MADE IN WRITING;
  C. POSTED ON THE THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INTERNET WEBSITE.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
have  become  a  law, provided, however, that effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary
for  the  implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized
to be made and completed on or before such date.

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Senate Bill S4358

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Sponsored By

Jesse Hamilton