Amd §§202, 202-bb & 202-d, St Ad Proc Act; amd §§101-a, 146, 148 & 149, Exec L; amd §87, Leg L
Authorizes state agencies to publish and transmit certain rule making notices by electronic means; provides for the provision of the state register by electronic means; authorizes the legislative administrative regulations review commission to accept data transmitted by electronic means.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1237--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 6, 2017
___________
Introduced by Sens. VALESKY, CARLUCCI, DeFRANCISCO, GALLIVAN, HELMING,
RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be
committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small
Business -- recommitted to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Devel-
opment and Small Business in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the state administrative procedure act, the executive
law and the legislative law, in relation to the transmittal of certain
records by electronic means
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 202 of the state
2 administrative procedure act, as added by chapter 17 of the laws of
3 1984, is amended to read as follows:
4 (c) When appropriate in the judgment of the agency, a notice may also
5 be published in newspapers of general circulation and in trade, industry
6 or professional publications as the agency may select, and may be posted
7 on the agency's internet website, and may be transmitted to newspapers
8 and trade, industry or professional publications by electronic means in
9 accordance with article three of the state technology law.
10 § 2. Subdivision 6-a of section 202 of the state administrative proce-
11 dure act, as added by chapter 850 of the laws of 1990, paragraphs (a),
12 (b) and (c) as amended by chapter 295 of the laws of 2017, is amended to
13 read as follows:
14 6-a. Distribution of rule making information. (a) An agency shall
15 transmit a copy of any rule making notice prepared pursuant to this
16 article to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the
17 speaker of the assembly and the administrative regulations review
18 commission at the time such notice is submitted to the secretary of
19 state for publication in the state register. Such transmittal shall
20 include the complete rule text, regulatory impact statement, regulatory
21 flexibility analysis, rural area flexibility analysis, or revisions
22 thereof, and any other information submitted to the secretary of state
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06984-02-8
S. 1237--A 2
1 pursuant to this article. Furthermore, such transmittal may be completed
2 by electronic means in accordance with article three of the state tech-
3 nology law.
4 (b) An agency shall make a copy of the complete text of any proposed,
5 adopted or emergency rule, regulatory impact statement, regulatory flex-
6 ibility analysis, rural area flexibility analysis, or revisions thereof
7 available, in written or electronic forms, to the public at the time
8 such documents are submitted to the secretary of state for publication
9 in the state register and shall send to any person a copy of such text
10 upon written or electronic request.
11 (c) An agency shall notify every person who has submitted a written or
12 electronic request to be notified of all proposed, revised, emergency
13 and/or adopted rules which may affect such person. The agency may allow
14 requests for only the rules of particular divisions or programs within
15 the agency that are of interest to such person. Written requests shall
16 expire annually on the thirty-first day of December with renewals for
17 the succeeding year to be accepted on or after December first. Elec-
18 tronic requests shall not expire, but shall continue until the person
19 submits a request to discontinue such notification. Notices issued
20 pursuant to such requests shall be sent to the last address or electron-
21 ic mail address specified by the person. An agency may charge any person
22 requesting such notice a fee consisting of the cost of preparation,
23 handling and postage; provided, however, that no fee shall be charged
24 for electronic notices. As an alternative to sending a document elec-
25 tronically, an agency may identify the document and provide a link to
26 the section of its website containing the full text of such document.
27 § 3. The opening paragraph of subdivision 3 of section 202-bb of the
28 state administrative procedure act, as added by chapter 171 of the laws
29 of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
30 In proposing a rule for adoption or in adopting a rule on an emergency
31 basis, the agency shall issue a rural area flexibility analysis regard-
32 ing the rule being proposed for adoption or the emergency rule being
33 adopted. A copy of such analysis and any finding, and reasons for such
34 finding, pursuant to this section, shall be submitted in writing, and
35 may be transmitted electronically in accordance with article three of
36 the state technology law, to the governor, the temporary president of
37 the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the office for regulatory and
38 management assistance and the administrative regulations review commis-
39 sion at the time such analysis is submitted or electronically transmit-
40 ted to the secretary of state for publication and, upon written or elec-
41 tronic request, a copy shall be sent or electronically transmitted to
42 any other person. Each rural area flexibility analysis shall contain:
43 § 4. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 202-d of the state
44 administrative procedure act, as amended by chapter 418 of the laws of
45 2016, is amended to read as follows:
46 (a) The departments of health, education, environmental conservation,
47 financial services, labor, agriculture and markets, motor vehicles and
48 state, the offices of children and family services and temporary and
49 disability assistance, the division of housing and community renewal,
50 the state gaming commission, the office of mental health, the office for
51 people with developmental disabilities and the workers' compensation
52 board, and any other department or agency specified by the governor or
53 his or her designee shall, and any other agency may, in its discretion,
54 submit in writing or electronically in accordance with article three of
55 the state technology law to the secretary of state, for publication in
56 any regular issue of the state register published during the month of
S. 1237--A 3
1 January, a regulatory agenda to solicit comments concerning any rule
2 which the agency is considering to propose, but for which no notice of
3 proposed rule making has been submitted pursuant to subdivision one of
4 section two hundred two of this article.
5 § 5. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 202-d of the
6 state administrative procedure act, as added by chapter 698 of the laws
7 of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
8 An agency may, in its discretion, submit in writing or electronically
9 in accordance with article three of the state technology law to the
10 secretary of state, for publication in the first regular issue of the
11 state register published during the months of January, May and Septem-
12 ber, a regulatory agenda to afford the agency an opportunity to solicit
13 comments concerning any rule which the agency is considering proposing,
14 but for which no notice of proposed rule making has been submitted
15 pursuant to subdivision one of section two hundred two of this [chapter]
16 article. A regulatory agenda shall be comprised of summaries of such
17 rules. Each summary shall, in less than two thousand words, contain, in
18 so far as practicable:
19 § 6. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 101-a of the executive law,
20 subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 455 of the laws of 2017 and subdivi-
21 sion 3 as amended by chapter 483 of the laws of 1988, are amended to
22 read as follows:
23 2. Except as provided in subdivision three of this section, at least
24 sixty days prior to either the adoption of any rule, or, if a public
25 hearing is required by statute, at least sixty days prior to the first
26 public hearing on a proposed rule, the agency proposing to take such
27 action shall send in writing or may transmit electronically in accord-
28 ance with article three of the state technology law, a notification of
29 such proposed action to the temporary president of the senate and the
30 speaker of the assembly. This notification shall: (a) refer to the stat-
31 utory authority under which the action is proposed, (b) give the time
32 and place of any public hearing that may be scheduled concerning the
33 proposed action, or state the manner in which data, views or arguments
34 may be submitted to the agency concerning the proposed action, (c)
35 contain a copy of the complete text of the proposed rule, and (d)
36 contain a fiscal statement setting forth the fiscal consequences of the
37 proposed action on the state and its local governments.
38 3. If the agency finds that it is necessary for the preservation of
39 the public health, safety or general welfare to dispense with the
40 requirements of subdivision two of this section, the agency may dispense
41 with such requirements and adopt the rule, as an emergency measure.
42 Within five days of the filing of such emergency measure in the office
43 of the department of state, the agency taking such action shall send or
44 transmit, as the case may be, the temporary president of the senate and
45 the speaker of the assembly a notification containing the information
46 required by subdivision two of this section; provided, however, such
47 notification shall also: (a) include a brief statement setting forth the
48 reasons why the agency finds that it is necessary for the preservation
49 of the public health, safety or general welfare to dispense with the
50 requirements of subdivision two of this section and adopt the rule as an
51 emergency measure, and (b) provide the date the emergency measure will
52 terminate if the agency does not intend to adopt such measure as a
53 permanent rule, or indicate that the agency intends to adopt such meas-
54 ure as a permanent rule, in which case compliance with the notification
55 requirements of this section shall be deemed satisfied. The effective-
56 ness of any such emergency measure, unless adopted as a permanent rule
S. 1237--A 4
1 in the manner prescribed by law, shall not exceed ninety days after the
2 filing of such measure in the office of the department of state,
3 provided, however, if such emergency measure is readopted prior to the
4 expiration of such ninety day period such readoption and any subsequent
5 readoptions shall remain in effect for no longer than sixty days.
6 § 7. Section 146 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 17 of the
7 laws of 1984, paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 189
8 of the laws of 1996, subdivision 4-a as amended by chapter 41 of the
9 laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
10 § 146. Publication of certain public notices. 1. The department of
11 state shall publish, pursuant to the schedule in section one hundred
12 forty-seven of this article, and post on its internet website a publica-
13 tion to be known as the state register, in which shall be published and
14 posted from time to time as received by such department:
15 (a) rules, orders, designations, and notices submitted by the chief
16 administrator of the courts;
17 (b) notices and advertisements required by state statute or federal
18 law, rule or regulation to be published by an agency in a newspaper;
19 (c) notices required by statute to be published in newspapers in
20 actions against foreign corporations;
21 (d) notices and job impact statements required by the state adminis-
22 trative procedure act to be published in the state register; and
23 (e) any other matter required by statute to be published in the state
24 register.
25 2. The secretary of state may, at his or her discretion, publish and
26 post in the state register any notice or information which is not other-
27 wise required by statute to be submitted to him or her by an agency or
28 public corporation for publication in the state register, in instances
29 where such publication and posting will serve the public interest.
30 3. With regard to rule making notices required to be published and
31 posted in the state register pursuant to article two of the state admin-
32 istrative procedure act, the secretary of state may, at his or her
33 discretion, publish and post the complete text of a proposed or adopted
34 rule, which is not otherwise required to be published and posted in the
35 state register, in instances where such publication and posting will
36 serve the public interest. The secretary of state shall accept from a
37 state agency all rulemaking notices, statements and analyses as required
38 by the state administrative procedure act, data, rules, and regulations
39 as provided for by article three of the state technology law.
40 4. With regard to a notice of adoption published in the state register
41 pursuant to article two of the state administrative procedure act, for
42 which the corresponding notice of proposed rule making published and
43 posted in the state register included the complete text of the rule, the
44 secretary of state may, at his or her discretion, include only the
45 changes in such text in the notice of adoption.
46 4-a. Notice of the availability of any state or federal funding which
47 is to be distributed by any agency upon application by any municipality,
48 school board, school district, not-for-profit organization or any other
49 individual or organization entitled to apply for such funding pursuant
50 to any law, rule or regulation governing the distribution of such funds
51 shall be published and posted in the state register. Such notice shall
52 appear in the register no later than forty-five days prior to the last
53 day for receipt of applications for such funding. Such notice shall not
54 be required: (i) whenever a notice has been published in the procurement
55 opportunities newsletter pursuant to article four-C of the economic
56 development law; (ii) for state or federal transportation funding; and
S. 1237--A 5
1 (iii) in those instances where an entity has been specifically desig-
2 nated by law or legislative resolution to receive funding. Failure to
3 publish the notice in a timely manner shall not be a basis for setting
4 aside an award or challenging a contract or other legal claim.
5 5. The publication and posting of notices and advertisements in the
6 state register shall be additional to their publication in newspapers,
7 whenever publication in newspapers is required by statute.
8 6. The secretary of state shall promulgate rules establishing proce-
9 dure, forms, font and style for submission of material by any person,
10 agency or public corporation for publication and posting in the state
11 register.
12 § 8. Subdivision 3 of section 148 of the executive law, as amended by
13 chapter 636 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
14 3. Subscriptions to the state register shall be made available to the
15 public by either first or second class mail, or in electronic form at
16 the election of the subscriber. A reasonable rate for a subscription to
17 printed copies of the regular issue and quarterly index required by
18 subdivision three of section one hundred forty-seven of this article, to
19 be not more than eighty dollars per year for first class mail delivery
20 and not more than forty dollars per year for second class mail delivery,
21 shall be set by the secretary of state. The secretary of state may
22 charge no more than one dollar and fifty cents per single copy of a
23 printed regular issue or quarterly index of the state register. Rates
24 shall not be set at such a level that the anticipated total subscription
25 revenues exceed the total cost of producing, printing and distributing
26 the state register.
27 § 9. Subdivision 1 of section 149 of the executive law, as amended by
28 chapter 17 of the laws of 1984, is amended and a new subdivision 4 is
29 added to read as follows:
30 1. The printed version of the state register shall be an eight and
31 one-half by eleven inch booklet with three holes punched in the left
32 hand margin to make such register suitable for storage in an eight and
33 one-half by eleven inch loose-leaf binder.
34 4. To the extent practicable, every version of the state register
35 transmitted by electronic means shall substantially comply with the
36 provisions of this section.
37 § 10. Section 87 of the legislative law is amended by adding a new
38 subdivision 4 to read as follows:
39 4. The commission shall be authorized to request and receive, from a
40 state agency, all rulemaking notices, statements and analyses as
41 provided for pursuant to the state administrative procedure act, data,
42 rules, regulations and other information by electronic means as provided
43 for by article three of the state technology law.
44 § 11. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day
45 after it shall have become a law, provided that the amendments to para-
46 graph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 202-d of the state administrative
47 procedure act, made by section four of this act, shall be subject to the
48 expiration and reversion of such subdivision pursuant to section 2 of
49 chapter 402 of the laws of 1994, as amended, when upon such date the
50 provisions of section five of this act shall take effect; and provided,
51 further, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
52 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
53 this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made
54 and completed on or before such effective date.
