Senate Bill S7796

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S7796

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the New York state printing and
public documents law, in relation to accessibility of certain agency
reports

 PURPOSE :

To improve public access to state agency reports, and to ensure the
continued availability of such online access.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

The bill provides that the State Library and the Legislative Library
shall develop and maintain a public webpage which provides access to
viewable and downloadable copies of agency reports which must be
submitted to the Legislature. Access shall be made available through
the websites of the State Library, State Senate and State Assembly.
State agencies and authorities shall provide an electronic copy of
their reports in formats specified by the libraries.

 JUSTIFICATION :

In the mid-1990s, the State Library began collecting digitized
versions of state agency reports, as well as converting many older
reports to an electronic format. Through its website, the State
              

Library makes available to the public a wide variety of reports issued
by state agencies and authorities. The Library's digital collection is
a centralized and very convenient and useful source of material.
However, many people are not aware of its existence or do not know how
to access it. There is also no guarantee that such website and online
documents will continue to be offered and maintained in the future.

While most state agencies and authorities also post reports in digital
format on their own websites, the ease of finding reports on a website
varies from agency to agency, as does the number and date range of
such reports.

By placing in law the requirement for such a webpage, this bill will
increase the visibility and awareness of the Library's centralized
digital collection of state agency reports, and will also help ensure
that such documents remain readily available to the public in the
future.

The bill also provides for a link to be placed on the websites of the
Senate and Assembly so that the public is aware of, and may easily
access, these agency reports.

The bill also ensures that state agencies provide an electronic copy
of their reports in a format which is specified by the libraries.
This makes it easier for the libraries to collect and post such
reports for access by the public.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Minimal to the State

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
One year after it shall have become a law