S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
709
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 6, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON,
DINOWITZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental
Operations
AN ACT to amend the legislative law, in relation to establishing a New
York state legislative research service
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The legislative law is amended by adding a new section 7-h
to read as follows:
§ 7-H. LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICE. 1. THERE SHALL HEREBY BE ESTAB-
LISHED A NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICE. IT SHALL BE THE
DUTY OF THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICE, WITHOUT PARTISAN BIAS TO:
(A) UPON REQUEST, ADVISE AND ASSIST ANY COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE
IN THE ANALYSIS, APPRAISAL, AND EVALUATION OF LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS
WITHIN SUCH COMMITTEE'S JURISDICTION, OR OF ANY RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMIT-
TED TO THE LEGISLATURE BY THE GOVERNOR OR ANY EXECUTIVE AGENCY, SO AS TO
ASSIST THE COMMITTEE IN:
(I) DETERMINING THE ADVISABILITY OF ENACTING SUCH PROPOSALS;
(II) ESTIMATING THE PROBABLE RESULTS OF SUCH PROPOSALS AND ALTERNA-
TIVES THERETO; AND
(III) EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THOSE RESULTS;
AND, BY PROVIDING SUCH OTHER RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL SERVICES AS THE
COMMITTEE CONSIDERS APPROPRIATE FOR THESE PURPOSES, OTHERWISE TO ASSIST
IN FURNISHING A BASIS FOR THE PROPER EVALUATION AND DETERMINATION OF
LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS GENERALLY; AND IN THE PERFORM-
ANCE OF THIS DUTY THE SERVICE SHALL HAVE AUTHORITY, WHEN SO AUTHORIZED
BY A COMMITTEE AND ACTING AS THE AGENT OF THAT COMMITTEE, TO REQUEST OF
ANY DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY OF THE STATE THE PRODUCTION OF SUCH BOOKS,
RECORDS, CORRESPONDENCE, MEMORANDA, PAPERS AND DOCUMENTS AS THE SERVICE
CONSIDERS NECESSARY, AND SUCH DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY OF THE STATE SHALL
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01611-01-1
A. 709 2
COMPLY WITH SUCH REQUEST; AND FURTHER IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS AND ANY
OTHER RELEVANT DUTY, THE SERVICE SHALL MAINTAIN CONTINUOUS LIAISON WITH
ALL COMMITTEES;
(B) MAKE AVAILABLE TO EACH COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE AT THE OPENING
OF A NEW SESSION, A LIST OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES UNDER EXISTING LAW
SCHEDULED TO TERMINATE DURING THE CURRENT SESSION, WHICH ARE WITHIN THE
JURISDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE;
(C) TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO EACH COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE AT THE
OPENING OF A NEW SESSION, A LIST OF SUBJECTS AND POLICY AREAS WHICH THE
COMMITTEE MIGHT PROFITABLY ANALYZE IN DEPTH;
(D) UPON REQUEST, OR UPON ITS OWN INITIATIVE IN ANTICIPATION OF
REQUESTS, PREPARE AND PROVIDE INFORMATION, RESEARCH, AND REFERENCE MATE-
RIALS AND SERVICES TO COMMITTEES AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO
ASSIST THEM IN LEGISLATIVE FUNCTIONS;
(E) UPON REQUEST, OR UPON ITS OWN INITIATIVE IN ANTICIPATION OF
REQUESTS, COLLECT, CLASSIFY AND ANALYZE IN THE FORM OF STUDIES, REPORTS,
COMPILATIONS, DIGESTS, BULLETINS, INDEXES, TRANSLATIONS, AND OTHERWISE,
DATA HAVING A BEARING ON LEGISLATION, AND TO MAKE SUCH DATA AVAILABLE
AND SERVICEABLE TO COMMITTEES AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE;
(F) PREPARE SUMMARIES AND DIGESTS OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS OF PUBLIC,
GENERAL NATURE INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATURE;
(G) UPON REQUEST MADE BY ANY COMMITTEE OR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE,
PREPARE AND TRANSMIT TO SUCH COMMITTEE OR MEMBER A CONCISE MEMORANDUM
WITH RESPECT TO ONE OR MORE LEGISLATIVE MEASURES UPON WHICH HEARINGS BY
ANY COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATURE HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED, WHICH MEMORANDUM
SHALL CONTAIN A STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT OF EACH SUCH MEAS-
URE, A DESCRIPTION OF OTHER RELEVANT MEASURES OF SIMILAR PURPOSE OR
EFFECT PREVIOUSLY INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND A RECITATION OF ALL
ACTION TAKEN THERETOFORE BY OR WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE WITH RESPECT TO
EACH SUCH OTHER MEASURES; AND
(H) DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AN INFORMATION AND RESEARCH CAPABILITY TO
INCLUDE SENIOR SPECIALISTS, SPECIALISTS, OTHER EMPLOYEES AND CONSULT-
ANTS, AS NECESSARY, TO PERFORM THE FUNCTIONS PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SUBDI-
VISION.
2. THE LIBRARIAN OF THE LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY SHALL APPOINT THE DIRECTOR
OF THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICE. THE DIRECTOR SHALL RECEIVE A SALARY
EQUAL TO THAT OF A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE AS SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION
ONE OF SECTION FIVE OF THIS ARTICLE.
3. THE DIRECTOR IS AUTHORIZED TO APPOINT IN THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
SERVICE, SPECIALISTS AND SENIOR SPECIALISTS IN THE FOLLOWING BROAD
FIELDS:
(A) AGING;
(B) AGRICULTURE;
(C) ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE;
(D) CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION;
(E) CRIME VICTIMS AND CORRECTIONS;
(F) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION;
(G) EDUCATION;
(H) ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS;
(I) ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY;
(J) GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS;
(K) HEALTH;
(L) HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT;
(M) INSURANCE;
(N) LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT;
(O) MONEY AND BANKING;
A. 709 3
(P) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY;
(Q) SOCIAL WELFARE;
(R) TAXATION AND FISCAL POLICY;
(S) TRANSPORTATION;
(T) URBAN AFFAIRS;
(U) VETERANS AFFAIRS; AND
(V) SUCH OTHER FIELDS, AS THE DIRECTOR MAY CONSIDER APPROPRIATE.
SUCH SPECIALISTS AND SENIOR SPECIALISTS, TOGETHER WITH SUCH OTHER
EMPLOYEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICE AS MAY BE NECESSARY, SHALL
BE AVAILABLE FOR SPECIAL WORK WITH THE COMMITTEES AND MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATURE FOR THE PURPOSES STATED IN THIS SECTION.
4. THE DIRECTOR IS AUTHORIZED:
(A) TO CLASSIFY, ORGANIZE, ARRANGE, GROUP AND DIVIDE, FROM TIME TO
TIME, AS THE DIRECTOR CONSIDERS ADVISABLE, THE REQUESTS FOR ADVICE,
ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER SERVICES SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
SERVICE BY COMMITTEES AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE INTO SUCH CLASSES
AND CATEGORIES AS THE DIRECTOR CONSIDERS NECESSARY TO:
(I) EXPEDITE AND FACILITATE THE HANDLING OF THE INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS
SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE;
(II) PROMOTE EFFICIENCY IN THE PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES FOR THE COMMIT-
TEES OF THE LEGISLATURE; AND
(III) PROVIDE A BASIS FOR THE EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE BY THE LEGISLATIVE
RESEARCH SERVICE OF ITS LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH AND RELATED FUNCTIONS
GENERALLY;
(B) TO ESTABLISH AND CHANGE, FROM TIME TO TIME, AS THE DIRECTOR
CONSIDERS ADVISABLE, WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH SERVICE, SUCH
RESEARCH AND REFERENCE DIVISIONS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS, OR BOTH,
AS SUCH DIRECTOR CONSIDERS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE PURPOSES OF THIS
SECTION; AND
(C) TO PROCURE BY CONTRACT, WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY PROVISION OF LAW
REQUIRING ADVERTISING FOR CONTRACT BIDS, THE TEMPORARY (FOR RESPECTIVE
PERIODS NOT IN EXCESS OF ONE YEAR) OR INTERMITTENT ASSISTANCE OF EDUCA-
TIONAL, RESEARCH, OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS
(INCLUDING STENOGRAPHIC REPORTERS) AND OF EDUCATIONAL, RESEARCH, AND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF PERSONS LEARNED IN PARTICULAR OR SPECIALIZED
FIELDS OF KNOWLEDGE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.