Requires public bodies to make reasonable efforts to ensure that proceedings of meetings are audible for individuals in person and via broadcast and to provide audio visual equipment as necessary.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2697
SPONSOR: Paulin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to requiring public
bodies to ensure that proceedings of meetings are audible for individ-
uals in person and via broadcast
PURPOSE:
This legislation seeks to ensure that public bodies make reasonable
efforts to ensure that their proceedings are audible to those in attend-
ance or those watching via broadcast.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new subdivision (g) to Section 103 of the Public
Officers Law to require public bodies to make or cause to be made
reasonable efforts to ensure that the proceedings of meetings are audi-
ble to those in attendance or via broadcast, by providing audiovisual
equipment to ensure individuals can adequately hear the proceedings.
Section 2 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The Open Meetings Law is intended to empower the public through the
availability and accessibility of meetings of public bodies. Individ-
uals attending open meetings either in-person or remotely cannot suffi-
ciently access such meetings if they are unable to hear the proceedings.
This bill requires public bodies to make reasonable efforts to ensure
that open meetings are audible to those attending either in-person or
via broadcast. It is critically important to provide individuals with
the means to adequately hear open meetings so they can follow along with
discussions, understand the actions and decisions of public bodies, and
hold authorities accountable.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.8360 of 2021 and 2022, referred to governmental operations. Same as
S.7404 of 2021 and 2022, referred to investigations and government oper-
ations.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2697
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 26, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to requiring public
bodies to ensure that proceedings of meetings are audible for individ-
uals in person and via broadcast
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 103 of the public officers law is amended by adding
2 a new subdivision (g) to read as follows:
3 (g) Public bodies shall make or cause to be made reasonable efforts to
4 ensure that proceedings of meetings are audible to those individuals who
5 attend such meetings in person or via broadcast by providing audiovisual
6 equipment, including but not limited to microphones and speakers to
7 ensure that individuals in attendance as well as individuals watching
8 via broadcast can adequately hear the proceedings of the meeting.
9 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05334-01-3
