S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9135
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. McMAHON, STECK -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the  public  officers  law,  in  relation  to  requiring
   members  of  a  public body to complete a minimum level of training on
   the state's open meetings law and freedom of information law
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The public officers law is amended by adding a new section
 79-a to read as follows:
   § 79-A. PUBLIC OFFICERS REQUIRED TRAINING.   EACH  LOCAL  OFFICER,  AS
 DEFINED  BY ARTICLE ONE OF THIS CHAPTER, SHALL COMPLETE NO LESS THAN TWO
 HOURS OF TRAINING ANNUALLY, ON THE REQUIREMENTS  OF  THE  OPEN  MEETINGS
 LAW, AS ESTABLISHED BY ARTICLE SEVEN OF THIS CHAPTER, AND THE FREEDOM OF
 INFORMATION  LAW,  AS  ESTABLISHED  BY  ARTICLE SIX OF THIS CHAPTER. ALL
 VILLAGE CLERKS, TOWN CLERKS, CITY CLERKS, LEGISLATIVE CLERKS TO A COUNTY
 LEGISLATURE OR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, VILLAGE ATTORNEYS, TOWN  ATTORNEYS,
 CITY  ATTORNEYS,  COUNTY  ATTORNEYS  OR OTHER DESIGNATED ATTORNEYS FOR A
 PUBLIC BODY, AND ALL DESIGNATED RECORDS ACCESS OFFICERS AND FOIL  APPEAL
 OFFICERS  SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  TO  COMPLETE SUCH TRAINING. SUCH TRAINING
 SHALL BE APPROVED BY THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED  UNDER
 SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED  NINE  OF  THIS  CHAPTER  AND MAY INCLUDE TRAINING
 PROVIDED BY A STATE AGENCY, STATEWIDE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION,  NON-PROFIT
 ORGANIZATION,  COLLEGE,  OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR ENTITY THE COMMITTEE DEEMS
 NECESSARY. SUCH TRAINING MAY  BE  PROVIDED  IN  A  VARIETY  OF  FORMATS,
 INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO, ELECTRONIC MEDIA, DISTANCE LEARNING OR
 TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM TRAINING.  ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER  THIRTY-FIRST  OF
 EACH  YEAR,  THOSE  REQUIRED  TO  COMPLETE SUCH TRAINING SHALL FILE WITH
 THEIR DESIGNATED RECORDS ACCESS OFFICER PROOF OF THEIR ATTENDANCE AT ANY
 SUCH TRAINING PROGRAMS REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13545-02-3