S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  3760--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 28, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. VANEL -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations -- recommitted to the Committee on  Govern-
   mental  Operations  in  accordance  with  Assembly  Rule  3, sec. 2 --
   committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
   recommitted to said committee
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  state technology law, in relation to blockchain
   technology and smart contracts
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  302  of  the  state technology law is amended by
 adding two new subdivisions 6 and 7 to read as follows:
   6. "BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY" SHALL MEAN  DISTRIBUTED  LEDGER  TECHNOLOGY
 THAT  USES  A  DISTRIBUTED, DECENTRALIZED, SHARED AND REPLICATED LEDGER,
 WHICH MAY BE PUBLIC, PERMISSIONED OR PERMISSIONLESS, OR DRIVEN BY TOKEN-
 IZED CRYPTO ECONOMICS OR TOKENLESS. THE DATA ON THE LEDGER IS  PROTECTED
 WITH CRYPTOGRAPHY, IS IMMUTABLE AND AUDITABLE AND PROVIDES AN UNCENSORED
 TRUTH.
   7.  "SMART CONTRACT" SHALL MEAN AN EVENT-DRIVEN PROGRAM THAT RUNS ON A
 DISTRIBUTED, DECENTRALIZED, SHARED AND REPLICATED LEDGER  AND  THAT  CAN
 TAKE CUSTODY OVER AND INSTRUCT TRANSFER OF ASSETS ON THAT LEDGER.
   §  2.  The state technology law is amended by adding a new section 310
 to read as follows:
   § 310. SIGNATURES AND RECORDS SECURED  THROUGH  BLOCKCHAIN  TECHNOLOGY
 AND  SMART  CONTRACTS. 1. A SIGNATURE THAT IS SECURED THROUGH BLOCKCHAIN
 TECHNOLOGY IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN AN ELECTRONIC FORM AND TO BE AN  ELEC-
 TRONIC SIGNATURE.
   2.  A RECORD OR CONTRACT THAT IS SECURED THROUGH BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
 IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN AN  ELECTRONIC  FORM  AND  TO  BE  AN  ELECTRONIC
 RECORD.
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03139-02-2
 A. 3760--A                          2
 
              
             
                          
                   3.  SMART  CONTRACTS  MAY  EXIST IN COMMERCE. A CONTRACT RELATING TO A
 TRANSACTION MAY NOT BE DENIED LEGAL EFFECT, VALIDITY  OR  ENFORCEABILITY
 SOLELY BECAUSE THAT CONTRACT CONTAINS A SMART CONTRACT TERM.
   4.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY,
 A PERSON THAT, IN OR AFFECTING  INTERSTATE  OR  FOREIGN  COMMERCE,  USES
 BLOCKCHAIN  TECHNOLOGY TO SECURE INFORMATION THAT THE PERSON OWNS OR HAS
 THE RIGHT TO USE RETAINS THE  SAME  RIGHTS  OF  OWNERSHIP  OR  USE  WITH
 RESPECT TO THAT INFORMATION AS BEFORE THE PERSON SECURED THE INFORMATION
 USING  BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY. THIS SUBDIVISION DOES NOT APPLY TO THE USE
 OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY TO SECURE  INFORMATION  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  A
 TRANSACTION  TO  THE  EXTENT THAT THE TERMS OF THE TRANSACTION EXPRESSLY
 PROVIDE FOR THE TRANSFER OF RIGHTS OF OWNERSHIP OR USE WITH  RESPECT  TO
 THAT  INFORMATION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.