Creates an internet website to discuss and introduce issues and ideas to the government of this state and to provide for the creation, viewing and signing of petitions.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2659--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 17, 2017
___________
Introduced by Sen. HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the creation of an
internet website to discuss and introduce issues and ideas to the
government of this state and to provide for the creation, viewing and
signing of petitions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 31-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 31-a. The People of the State of New York; internet website. 1. The
4 department shall, in consultation with the office of information tech-
5 nology services, develop and maintain an internet website for the
6 purpose of providing the people of this state with the opportunity to
7 voice opinions, create and sign petitions, and otherwise discuss and
8 introduce issues and ideas to the government of this state. Such inter-
9 net website shall be called "The People of the State of New York" and
10 shall use as its model the "We the People" internet website implemented
11 and maintained by the executive branch of the federal government. Such
12 internet website shall provide:
13 a. a platform for the people of this state to create, view, respond to
14 and sign petitions;
15 b. a blog maintained by the executive;
16 c. responses to petitions pursuant to subdivision two of this section;
17 and
18 d. any additional information the executive deems relevant.
19 2. Upon the creation of a petition on the internet website developed
20 and maintained pursuant to subdivision one of this section, any person
21 who is a resident of this state may sign such petition as a method of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00708-02-7
S. 2659--A 2
1 demonstrating such person's agreement with the content of such petition.
2 Any petition that receives two thousand five hundred or more signatures
3 within thirty days shall be provided with a response on or before the
4 sixtieth day after such total of two thousand five hundred signatures
5 was reached. Such response shall be:
6 a. made by the executive, or by any state agency that the executive
7 designates to provide such response;
8 b. made in writing;
9 c. posted on the The People of the State of New York internet website.
10 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
11 have become a law, provided, however, that effective immediately, the
12 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
13 for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized
14 to be made and completed on or before such date.
