S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1074
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
ment Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to requiring public
disclosure of certain state agency materials; and to amend the state
technology law, in relation to authorizing the office of information
technology services to publish a technical standards manual for the
publishing of records on the internet by state agencies
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known as and may be cited as the "Open
New York Act".
§ 2. Section 86 of the public officers law is amended by adding four
new subdivisions 12, 13, 14 and 15 to read as follows:
12. "CONSENSUS" MEANS GENERAL AGREEMENT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY UNANIMI-
TY, AND INCLUDES A PROCESS FOR ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE OBJECTIONS BY
INTERESTED PARTIES, AS LONG AS ALL COMMENTS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY CONSIDERED.
13. "TECHNICAL STANDARD" MEANS (A) THE COMMON AND REPEATED USE OF
RULES, CONDITIONS, GUIDELINES OR CHARACTERISTICS FOR PRODUCTS OR RELATED
PROCESSES AND PRODUCTION METHODS, AND RELATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS PRAC-
TICES AND (B) THE DEFINITION OF TERMS; CLASSIFICATION OF COMPONENTS,
DELINEATION OF PROCEDURES; SPECIFICATIONS OF DIMENSIONS, MATERIALS,
PERFORMANCE, DESIGNS OR OPERATIONS; MEASUREMENT OF QUALITY AND QUANTITY
IN DESCRIBING MATERIALS, PROCESSES, PRODUCTS, SYSTEMS, SERVICES OR PRAC-
TICES; TEST METHODS AND SAMPLING PROCEDURES; OR DESCRIPTIONS OF FIT AND
MEASUREMENTS OF SIZE OR STRENGTH.
14. "VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS" MEANS STANDARDS DEVELOPED OR
ADOPTED BY VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS BODIES, BOTH DOMESTIC AND
INTERNATIONAL. THESE STANDARDS INCLUDE PROVISIONS REQUIRING THAT OWNERS
OF RELEVANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AGREE TO MAKE SUCH INTELLECTUAL PROP-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01659-01-5
S. 1074 2
ERTY AVAILABLE ON A NON-DISCRIMINATORY, ROYALTY-FREE OR REASONABLE
ROYALTY BASIS TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.
15. "VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS BODIES" MEANS DOMESTIC OR INTERNA-
TIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WHICH PLAN, DEVELOP, ESTABLISH, OR COORDINATE
VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS USING AGREED-UPON PROCEDURES.
§ 3. The opening paragraph of paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of
section 87 of the public officers law, as added by chapter 223 of the
laws of 2008, is amended and a new subdivision 2-a is added to read as
follows:
In determining the actual cost of reproducing a PHYSICAL COPY OF A
record, an agency may include only:
2-A. ALL RECORDS AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION
SHALL BE AVAILABLE IN ELECTRONIC FORM PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION EIGHTY-SEVEN-A
OF THIS ARTICLE.
§ 4. The public officers law is amended by adding a new section 87-a
to read as follows:
§ 87-A. STATE INTERNET RECORDS POLICY. 1. (A) THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN
GOVERNMENT SHALL PROMULGATE RULES ESTABLISHING AN INTERNET RECORD POLICY
FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK NO LATER THAN JANUARY THIRD, TWO THOUSAND
TWENTY-SIX, FOR THE PURPOSES OF MAKING AGENCY RECORDS AVAILABLE ON THE
INTERNET AND ENSURING AGENCY COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
ARTICLE. SUCH POLICY SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, GUIDELINES TO
ASSIST AGENCIES IN CLASSIFYING THEIR RECORDS EITHER AS IMMEDIATE, PRIOR-
ITY, LEGACY OR EXEMPT PURSUANT TO THE AGENCY COMPLIANCE PLAN DESCRIBED
IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
(B) THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT SHALL CONSULT WITH THE OFFICE OF
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES REGARDING THE PREPARATION, PUBLICATION
AND PERIODIC UPDATING OF A TECHNICAL STANDARDS MANUAL FOR THE PUBLISHING
OF RECORDS ON THE INTERNET BY STATE AGENCIES AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION
TWELVE-C OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW.
(C) EACH STATE AGENCY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, SHALL REVIEW
ALL RECORDS UNDER ITS CONTROL AND SHALL CLASSIFY THEM AS IMMEDIATE,
PRIORITY, LEGACY OR EXEMPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVI-
SION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
(D) EACH STATE AGENCY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, SHALL SUBMIT
AN AGENCY COMPLIANCE PLAN TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE NO LATER
THAN JANUARY THIRD, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN. SUCH PLAN SHALL DESCRIBE
HOW SUCH AGENCY INTENDS TO ACHIEVE FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS
OF THIS SECTION BY JULY SEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND THIRTY, AND SHALL INCLUDE
AN ACCOUNTING OF ALL RECORDS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE AGENCY AND HOW
SUCH RECORDS HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
SECTION.
2. (A) EACH STATE AGENCY SHALL MAKE ITS RECORDS AVAILABLE FOR
INSPECTION BY THE PUBLIC ON THE INTERNET THROUGH A SINGLE WEB PORTAL
PURSUANT TO THE TIMETABLE ESTABLISHED BY THE AGENCY IN ITS AGENCY
COMPLIANCE PLAN.
(B) ALL RECORDS SHALL BE AVAILABLE ON A PERMANENT BASIS, IN MACHINE-
READABLE AND UNPROCESSED ELECTRONIC FORMAT AND IN THEIR COMPLETE FORM,
EXCEPT FOR THOSE RECORDS OR PORTIONS OF RECORDS CLASSIFIED AS EXEMPT
PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
(C) ALL RECORDS SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT ANY REGISTRA-
TION REQUIREMENT, LICENSE REQUIREMENT, FEES, OR RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR
USE UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW.
S. 1074 3
3. STATE AGENCY RECORDS SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS FOLLOWS:
(A) IMMEDIATE: ANY RECORD IN POSSESSION OF AN AGENCY AS OF THE EFFEC-
TIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION AND ANY RECORD SUCH AGENCY ACQUIRES OR CREATES
AFTER SUCH EFFECTIVE DATE THROUGH JANUARY THIRD, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-
SEVEN, THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET PURSUANT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION EIGHTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF
THE AGENCY ACQUIRING OR CREATING SUCH RECORD SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS
IMMEDIATE. AGENCIES SHOULD MAKE BEST EFFORTS TO CLASSIFY AS MANY RECORDS
AS IMMEDIATE AS IS POSSIBLE. ANY RECORD ACQUIRED OR CREATED AFTER JANU-
ARY THIRD, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE, SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS IMMEDIATE,
AND SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION EIGHT-
Y-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE IN AS CLOSE TO REAL-TIME AS POSSIBLE;
(B) LEGACY: ANY RECORD THAT, DUE TO ITS SIZE OR COMPLEXITY, OR DUE TO
TECHNOLOGY CONSTRAINTS, CANNOT BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET PURSU-
ANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION EIGHTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE BY JULY
SEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND THIRTY, SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS LEGACY. AGENCIES
SHALL MAKE BEST EFFORTS TO AVOID PLACING RECORDS INTO THE LEGACY CLASSI-
FICATION;
(C) PRIORITY: ANY RECORD THAT IS NOT CLASSIFIED AS IMMEDIATE, LEGACY
OR EXEMPT SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS PRIORITY; OR
(D) EXEMPT: ANY RECORD OR PORTION OF A RECORD WHICH IS NOT REQUIRED TO
BE DISCLOSED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION
EIGHTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS EXEMPT.
4. STATE AGENCY RECORDS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET
ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE:
(A) RECORDS CLASSIFIED AS IMMEDIATE SHALL BE AVAILABLE NO LATER THAN
JULY FOURTH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN;
(B) RECORDS CLASSIFIED AS PRIORITY SHALL BE AVAILABLE NO LATER THAN
JULY SECOND, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT;
(C) RECORDS CLASSIFIED AS LEGACY SHALL BE AVAILABLE NO LATER THAN JULY
SEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE;
(D) RECORDS OR PORTIONS OF RECORDS SPECIFIED AS EXEMPT SHALL BE EXEMPT
FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
5. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH (C) OF SUBDIVISION ONE
OF SECTION EIGHTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE, NO FEES MAY BE CHARGED FOR
PHYSICAL COPIES OF RECORDS:
(A) WHICH ARE CLASSIFIED AS IMMEDIATE ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONS OF
THIS SECTION AND WHICH ARE NOT AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION ON OR AFTER JULY FOURTH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN;
(B) WHICH ARE CLASSIFIED AS PRIORITY ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONS OF
THIS SECTION AND WHICH ARE NOT AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION ON OR AFTER JULY SECOND, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT; OR
(C) WHICH ARE CLASSIFIED AS LEGACY ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION AND WHICH ARE NOT AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION ON OR AFTER JULY SEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE.
§ 5. Section 103 of the state technology law is amended by adding two
new subdivisions 5-a and 12-c to read as follows:
5-A. TO ESTABLISH, OVERSEE, MANAGE, COORDINATE AND FACILITATE THE
PLANNING, DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SINGLE WEB PORTAL FOR USE BY
STATE AGENCIES IN MAKING RECORDS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AS PROVIDED IN
SECTION EIGHTY-SEVEN-A OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW;
12-C. IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, TO
PREPARE AND PUBLISH A TECHNICAL STANDARDS MANUAL FOR THE PUBLISHING OF
RECORDS ON THE INTERNET BY STATE AGENCIES AS PROVIDED IN ARTICLE SIX OF
THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW NO LATER THAN JANUARY THIRD, TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-SEVEN, AND SHALL BASE SUCH MANUAL ON TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR WEB
S. 1074 4
PUBLISHING AND E-GOVERNMENT THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED OR ADOPTED BY
VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS BODIES. SUCH MANUAL SHALL BE UPDATED BY
THE OFFICE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMITTEE ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, AS
NECESSARY. THE OFFICE SHALL CONSULT WITH VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS
BODIES AND SHALL, WHEN SUCH PARTICIPATION IS FEASIBLE, IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST AND IS COMPATIBLE WITH AGENCY AND DEPARTMENTAL MISSIONS,
AUTHORITIES, PRIORITIES, AND BUDGET RESOURCES, PARTICIPATE WITH SUCH
BODIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS. THE OFFICE SHALL
PROMULGATE AND ADOPT ALL NECESSARY RULES AND REGULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT
STATE AGENCIES PUBLISH THEIR RECORDS ON THE INTERNET IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SUCH TECHNICAL STANDARDS MANUAL;
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately.