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A06658 Summary:

A06658 Actions:

A06658 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)



 
BILL NUMBER: A6658
 
SPONSOR: Gjonaj

 
TITLE OF BILL:
 
An act to amend the state technology law, in relation to state agency
websites
 
 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
 
This bill requires that all state agencies create and maintain mobile-
friendly platforms for their websites and resources. By providing for
mobile-friendly forms of state websites the state will ensure wide-
spread, equivalent and improved access to state resources.
 
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
 
Section 1: Establishes that all current and future state agency websites
be offered in a mobile friendly form and shall be made available for all
mobile devises.
 
Section 2: Provides the enacting clause.
 
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
 
A8067 of 2015
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:
 
Since 2007, with the introduction of the first iphone, mobile devices
and smartphones have brought about a technological revolution in terms
the way consumers access and use online resources. Smartphones, tablets
and newer operating systems for desktops and laptops have begun to shift
the marketplace away from landlines and desktops towards more mobile
pathways.
 
To illustrate the demographic shift, the Pew Research Center reported on
April 1, 2015, that 64% of American adults now own a smartphone, up from
35% in spring of 2011. The same research report indicated that 10% of
American adults rely solely on their mobile device for internet access
in their homes. Further illustrating the need for updated websites, in
2014, Google altered its search engine results pages to list websites
that are mobile friendly as prioritized in search results in response to
the paradigm shift that mobile device use has caused in internet access.
 
The state remains in the technological dark ages in terms of providing
Mobile-friendly access to citizens who rely on the state's services and
resources. Being that the vast majority of state affiliated websites are
only available in desktop format, the state is effectively double-dip-
ping by making residents use more of their data plans to access critical
information and resources, while taxing use of such mobile devices via
cellphone and utility taxes. The state should ensure that steps are
taken to provide equal access to all citizens.
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
 
Minimal. The state already allocates funding for website maintenance to
each state agency. Any additional cost in connection with the updating
of such websites is expected to be recouped in the long haul through
reductions in data traffic thanks to significantly smaller website data
requirements.
 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2017.

A06658 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          6658
 
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     March 10, 2017
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. GJONAJ, RAIA, MONTESANO -- read once and referred
          to the Committee on Governmental Operations
 
        AN  ACT  to  amend the state technology law, in relation to state agency
          websites
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The state technology law is amended by adding a new section
     2  209 to read as follows:
     3    §  209.  State  agency websites; mobile friendly websites. All current
     4  and future state agency websites, as defined in section two hundred  two
     5  of  this  article,  shall offer a mobile friendly form and shall be made
     6  available for all mobile devices that support such technology.
     7    § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2019.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10498-01-7