NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5694
SPONSOR: Barclay (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the distribution of
annual reports
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Requires that annual reports be distributed in electronic format only,
unless otherwise requested by a State Legislator.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill amends Section 164 of the Executive Law with regard to
distribution of annual reports of state departments. The bill provides
that annual reports of state departments will be made available to state
legislators and their staff in electronic format to the extent practica-
ble. In the event that a legislator wishes to obtain a printed copy of
the report, state agencies are to forward such reports to legislators
upon specific request for the printed format.
JUSTIFICATION:
Each year all state legislators and their offices receive annual reports
from all state departments and agencies. Many times, these reports are
quite voluminous and the costs to print and distribute the copies for
each legislator may be unwarranted. With current technology, all state
agency reports should be made available to legislators in electronic
format. This bill will assure that any annual reports of state agencies
are printed and distributed only to offices that specifically requested
a printed copy of the report. This bill will reduce state printing
costs, save state funds, and reduce recycling costs.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.5236 (2023-24) Referred to Governmental Operations
A.6120 (2021.22) Held in Government Operations
A,4108 (2019-20) Held in Governmental Operations
A.5652 (2017-18) Held in Governmental Operations
A,521 (2015-16) Held in Governmental Operations
A.1559 (2013-14) Held in Governmental Operations
A.6519 (2011-12) Held in Governmental Operations
A.2835 (2009-10) Held in Governmental Operations
A.2821 (2007-08) Held in Governmental Operations
A.5910 (2005-05) Held in Governmental Operations.
A.5734 (2003-04) Held in Governmental Operations
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5694
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 20, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BARCLAY, BRABENEC, WALSH, LEMONDES, DeSTEFANO,
SIMPSON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. K. BROWN, DURSO, HAWLEY --
read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the distribution of
annual reports
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 164 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 833
2 of the laws of 1965, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 164. Reports by and to the department. Each department, other than
4 the executive department, shall make an annual report to the governor
5 and legislature on or before the fifteenth day of May, for the preceding
6 calendar year. It shall contain such information concerning the depart-
7 ment and its several divisions, bureaus, offices, agencies and insti-
8 tutions, and their activities and affairs, and such recommendations, as
9 the head of the department shall deem necessary or proper, and any
10 matters required by express provision of law to be included in such
11 report. A department also shall make such other and special reports as
12 the governor or either house of the legislature may require. From time
13 to time, the head of a department may require from any board, commission
14 or other body in the department or from any subordinate officer or
15 employee, division or bureau of the department, or from any institution
16 subject to the supervision of the department, or from any agency of the
17 department, such reports or information as such head may deem necessary.
18 Unless expressly authorized by the head of the department, there shall
19 be hereafter no separate report, annual or otherwise, directly to the
20 legislature or governor by any such board, commission, body, officer,
21 division, bureau, institution or agency notwithstanding any existing
22 provision of law authorizing or requiring such report. Each department,
23 to the extent practicable, shall make such annual report available to
24 members of the legislature in electronic format. Such reports shall be
25 forwarded to members of the legislature in printed form only upon
26 specific request of a member of the legislature for such printed report.
27 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03912-01-5
