Assembly Bill A8236

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8236
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                May 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. RA -- read once and referred to the Committee on
   Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring state  agen-
   cies to post public reports in certain formats
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  170-i
 to read as follows:
   §  170-I.  AGENCY  REPORTING  REQUIREMENTS. 1. EVERY STATE AGENCY THAT
 PUBLISHES REPORTS CONTAINING DATA ON ITS WEBSITE SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  TO
 POST  SUCH  REPORTS  IN A MACHINE-READABLE FORMAT PROSPECTIVELY FROM THE
 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS  SECTION,  MACHINE-
 READABLE FORMAT SHALL MEAN A DATA FORMAT THAT CAN BE AUTOMATICALLY PROC-
 ESSED BY COMPUTERS.
   2.  ONE  YEAR  AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, AND EVERY TWO
 YEARS THEREAFTER, THE COMPTROLLER SHALL CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF  EACH  STATE
 AGENCY  TO  ENSURE THE AGENCY'S COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SECTION. SUCH AUDIT
 SHALL BE DESIGNED TO ASSESS EACH  STATE  AGENCY'S  COMPLIANCE  WITH  THE
 REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION, AND SHALL EXAMINE:
   (A)  WHETHER  ALL REPORTS CONTAINING DATA PUBLISHED ON AGENCY WEBSITES
 ARE PROVIDED IN A MACHINE-READABLE FORMAT AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION;
   (B) THE ADEQUACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNAL CONTROLS ESTABLISHED BY
 AGENCIES TO ENSURE ONGOING COMPLIANCE WITH MACHINE-READABLE DATA  PUBLI-
 CATION REQUIREMENTS; AND
   (C)  THE  COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, AND TIMELINESS OF THE DATA PUBLISHED
 IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS SECTION.
   3. UPON COMPLETION OF EACH AUDIT CYCLE, THE COMPTROLLER SHALL:
   (A) ISSUE A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE, THE GOVERNOR,  AND  THE
 AUDITED AGENCIES DETAILING THE FINDINGS OF THE AUDIT, INCLUDING:
   (I) THE LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE BY EACH AGENCY;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11836-01-5
 A. 8236                             2
              

 
   (II)  FOR  EACH AGENCY, ANY DEFICIENCIES, NON-COMPLIANCE, OR AREAS FOR
 IMPROVEMENT IDENTIFIED DURING THE AUDIT; AND
   (III) FOR EACH AGENCY, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, PROCESS
 IMPROVEMENTS, OR POLICY CHANGES TO ENHANCE COMPLIANCE AND DATA QUALITY.
   (B)  SUMMARIZE  RECURRING ISSUES OR TRENDS ACROSS AGENCIES AND PROVIDE
 GUIDANCE FOR STATEWIDE IMPROVEMENTS TO DATA PUBLICATION PRACTICES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to reports
 prepared on and after such effective date.