State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I - Schenectady) reports he and his colleagues in the New York State Senate this week passed legislation to make state legislative proceedings more open and transparent by expanding public access to session, committee meetings, and votes. The bill (S3046C) requires the webcasting and archiving of Senate and Assembly committees and hearings and the online posting of votes taken in committees or on the floor.

The Senate website - http://www.nysenate.gov/ - enables the public to learn more about their legislative representatives and also includes archived videos of session and committee meetings, and committee and floor vote records. The bill passed this week would require both houses to post this information on their respective websites.