Senate Bill S4687B

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S4687

SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to directing public
bodies that have meetings that allow public comments to provide a means
for the public to comment in real time

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To allow for remote public comments when a public meeting provides time
for public comments.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 103 of the public officers law by adding a new
subdivision g which creates a right for public comment in real time from
a remote location when a public comment period exists during a meeting.

Section 2 sets the effective date.
              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has mad large in person meeting impossi-
ble. During the pandemic, public meeting that would typically take place
in person have moved online or into hybrid formats with more and more
meeting, taking place online and participation being largely allowed
thought remote means. Many communities have adapted and hold meeting on
zoom and allow public comments either through live questioning or
through chat features or on sites like Facebook where questions have
been received using the comment feature.  While many communities have
done what they could to allow for real time participation, other commu-
nities have gone to in person formats and only are taking questions from
the individuals in the reduced capacity meeting space in which their
meeting takes place.

While not all public meeting offer a time for public comments, when a
meeting does allow for public comment everyone should have an opportu-
nity to be heard. Individuals that are homebound or fearful of the
continuing COVID-19 pandemic should not be disqualified from having
their questions answered in real time and sometimes at all because they
are not in a meeting physically.

While not prescribing the medium for questions to be allowed but by
simply allowing for additional real time reactions besides those made in
person, this bill seeks to lower barriers and open meetings up to great-
er community participation when participation is already allowed at no
additional cost to the municipalities when using the comment or chat
features on Facebook or Zoom.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4687A

SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to directing public
bodies that have meetings that allow public comments to provide a means
for the public to comment in real time

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To allow for remote public comments when a public meeting provides time
for public comments.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 103 of the public officers law by adding a new
subdivision g which creates a right for public comment in real time from
a remote location during a broadcast meeting when a public comment peri-
od exists during a meeting.

Section 2 sets the effective date.
              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has mad large in person meeting impossi-
ble. During the pandemic, public meeting that would typically take place
in person have moved online or into hybrid formats with more and more
meeting, taking place online and participation being largely allowed
thought remote means. Many communities have adapted and hold meeting on
zoom and allow public comments either through live questioning or
through chat features or on sites like Facebook where questions have
been received using the comment feature. While many communities have
done what they could to allow for real time participation, other commu-
nities have gone to in person formats and only are taking questions from
the individuals in the reduced capacity meeting space in which their
meeting takes place.

While not all public meeting offer a time for public comments, when a
meeting does allow for public comment everyone should have an opportu-
nity to be heard. Individuals that are homebound or fearful of the
continuing COVID-19 pandemic should not be disqualified from having
their questions answered in real time and sometimes at all because they
are not in a meeting physically.

While not prescribing the medium for questions to be allowed but by
simply allowing for additional real time reactions besides those made in
person, this bill seeks to lower barriers and open meetings up to great-
er community participation when participation is already allowed at no
additional cost to the municipalities when using the comment or chat
features on Facebook or Zoom.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect 13 days after becoming law.