NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2852A
SPONSOR: Zebrowski TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring
municipalities to maintain municipal websites
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would require all counties, cities, towns, and villages to
maintain an official ".gov" website.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill amends the general municipal law by adding a new
article 13-e entitled "municipal websites." The legislation will require
municipalities to maintain a ".gov" website that is accessible to the
public and provides important information to residents. Websites must
contain basic information, financial reports, meeting and election
notices, meeting agendas and minutes, and an updated version of local
code or laws.
Section two of the bill amends section 30 of the general municipal law
as it relates to clarifying that all municipalities must post financial
reports on their official website.
Section three of the bill relates to the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Municipal website provides residents with basic information on elected
officials, services, local laws and municipal documents. This bill would
create an unprecedented level of transparency by requiring that all
local governments maintain a website where residents can access up to
date information.
A 2014 report by the Empire Center highlighted the poor quality of
municipal websites many of which lacked basic information. The report
found that less than 20% of local government received a passing grade on
their website's availability of information and usability including two
municipalities that did not have a website. This report's findings are
troubling as all municipalities should have a website that is updated
regularly and provides citizens with basic information. Website manage-
ment has improved greatly over the past decade becoming both affordable
and easy to maintain.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2852--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, STIRPE, STECK, PAULIN -- Multi-Spon-
sored by -- M. of A. COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Local Governments -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Govern-
ments in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring
municipalities to maintain municipal websites
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new arti-
2 cle 13-E to read as follows:
3 ARTICLE 13-E
4 MUNICIPAL WEBSITES
5 Section 300. Municipal websites.
6 § 300. Municipal websites. 1. All municipal corporations shall main-
7 tain an official website with a ".gov" domain name that is accessible to
8 the public and update such website regularly. The official website shall
9 contain basic information on the municipality including but not limited
10 to hours of operations, elected officials and services provided. The
11 website shall contain a privacy policy that is prominently posted and
12 written in plain language that informs website visitors of any personal
13 information that is being collected and how it is being used.
14 2. Municipal websites shall, at a minimum, contain the following
15 information:
16 a. all documents required by subdivision seven of section thirty of
17 this chapter;
18 b. notice of all municipal elections, public hearings and public meet-
19 ings including regular board or legislative meetings;
20 c. agenda and minutes of municipal meetings as required by article
21 seven of the public officers law; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05782-02-4
A. 2852--A 2
1 d. an up to date version of, or an active hyperlink to, the munici-
2 pality's codes or local laws and resolutions.
3 § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 30 of the general municipal law, as
4 added by section 10 of part O of chapter 56 of the laws of 2008, is
5 amended to read as follows:
6 7. [To the extent practicable, each] Each municipal corporation shall
7 make accessible to the public [via its official internet web site] on
8 its official municipal website required under article thirteen-E of this
9 chapter documentation pertaining to its most recent annual financial
10 reports, current year budget, most recent independent audit report and
11 most recent fiscal performance plan or multiyear financial plan required
12 pursuant to paragraph g of subdivision ten of section fifty-four of the
13 state finance law, unless such information is covered by subdivision two
14 of section eighty-seven of the public officers law.
15 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
16 it shall have become a law.
