Bill Text: NY S00642 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: 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.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2016-05-04 - referred to governmental operations [S00642 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-S00642-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          642
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen. VALESKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic  Devel-
         opment and Small Business
       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    S 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  and  (b)  as  amended  by chapter 171 of the laws of 1994, 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, the administrative regulations review commis-
   18  sion and the office of regulatory and management assistance at the  time
   19  such  notice  is  submitted to the secretary of state for publication in
   20  the state register. Such transmittal shall  include  the  complete  rule
   21  text,  regulatory  impact  statement,  regulatory  flexibility analysis,
   22  rural area flexibility analysis, or revisions  thereof,  and  any  other
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01977-01-5
       S. 642                              2
    1  information  submitted  to the secretary of state pursuant to this arti-
    2  cle.  FURTHERMORE, SUCH TRANSMITTAL MAY BE COMPLETED BY ELECTRONIC MEANS
    3  IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY 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  AND 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. Such requests shall
   14  expire annually on the thirty-first day of December  with  renewals  for
   15  the  succeeding  year to be accepted on or after December first. Notices
   16  issued pursuant to such requests shall be sent in writing OR  ELECTRONIC
   17  FORM  to  the  last  address OR ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS specified by the
   18  person. An agency may charge any person requesting  such  notice  a  fee
   19  consisting of the cost of preparation, handling and postage.
   20    S  3.  The opening paragraph of subdivision 3 of section 202-bb of the
   21  state administrative procedure act, as added by chapter 171 of the  laws
   22  of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
   23    In proposing a rule for adoption or in adopting a rule on an emergency
   24  basis,  the agency shall issue a rural area flexibility analysis regard-
   25  ing the rule being proposed for adoption or  the  emergency  rule  being
   26  adopted.  A  copy of such analysis and any finding, and reasons for such
   27  finding, pursuant to this section, shall be submitted  IN  WRITING,  AND
   28  MAY  BE  TRANSMITTED  ELECTRONICALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE OF
   29  THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW, to the governor, the  temporary  president  of
   30  the  senate,  the speaker of the assembly, the office for regulatory and
   31  management assistance and the administrative regulations review  commis-
   32  sion  at the time such analysis is submitted OR ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMIT-
   33  TED to the secretary of state for publication and, upon written OR ELEC-
   34  TRONIC request, a copy shall be sent OR  ELECTRONICALLY  TRANSMITTED  to
   35  any other person. Each rural area flexibility analysis shall contain:
   36    S  4.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision 1 of section 202-d of the state
   37  administrative procedure act, as amended by chapter 462 of the  laws  of
   38  2012, is amended to read as follows:
   39    (a)  The departments of health, education, environmental conservation,
   40  financial services, labor, agriculture and markets, motor  vehicles  and
   41  state,  the  offices  of  children and family services and temporary and
   42  disability assistance, the division of housing and community renewal and
   43  the workers' compensation board, and any other department  specified  by
   44  the  governor or his or her designee shall, and any other agency may, in
   45  its discretion, submit IN WRITING OR ELECTRONICALLY IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
   46  ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW to the secretary of state, for
   47  publication  in  the first regular issue of the state register published
   48  during the month of January and the last  regular  issue  of  the  state
   49  register  published  in  June,  a  regulatory agenda to solicit comments
   50  concerning any rule which the agency is considering to propose, but  for
   51  which  no  notice of proposed rule making has been submitted pursuant to
   52  subdivision one of section two hundred two of this article.
   53    S 5. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section  202-d  of  the
   54  state  administrative procedure act, as added by chapter 698 of the laws
   55  of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
       S. 642                              3
    1    An agency may, in its discretion, submit IN WRITING OR  ELECTRONICALLY
    2  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  ARTICLE  THREE  OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW to the
    3  secretary of state, for publication in the first regular  issue  of  the
    4  state  register  published during the months of January, May and Septem-
    5  ber,  a regulatory agenda to afford the agency an opportunity to solicit
    6  comments concerning any rule which the agency is considering  proposing,
    7  but  for  which  no  notice  of  proposed rule making has been submitted
    8  pursuant to subdivision one of section two hundred two of this [chapter]
    9  ARTICLE. A regulatory agenda shall be comprised  of  summaries  of  such
   10  rules.  Each summary shall, in less than two thousand words, contain, in
   11  so far as practicable:
   12    S 6. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of  section  101-a  of  the  executive  law,
   13  subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 610 of the laws of 1987 and subdivi-
   14  sion  3  as  amended  by chapter 483 of the laws of 1988, are amended to
   15  read as follows:
   16    2. Except as provided in subdivision three of this section,  at  least
   17  forty-five  days  prior  to  either  the  adoption of any rule, or, if a
   18  public hearing is required by statute, at least forty-five days prior to
   19  the first public hearing on a proposed rule,  the  agency  proposing  to
   20  take such action shall send IN WRITING OR MAY TRANSMIT ELECTRONICALLY IN
   21  ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW a notification
   22  of such proposed action to the temporary president of the senate and the
   23  speaker  of  the  assembly.    This notification shall: (a) refer to the
   24  statutory authority under which the action is  proposed,  (b)  give  the
   25  time  and  place  of any public hearing that may be scheduled concerning
   26  the proposed action, or state the manner in which data, views  or  argu-
   27  ments may be submitted to the agency concerning the proposed action, (c)
   28  contain  a  copy  of  the  complete  text  of the proposed rule, and (d)
   29  contain a fiscal statement setting forth the fiscal consequences of  the
   30  proposed action on the state and its local governments.
   31    3.  If  the  agency finds that it is necessary for the preservation of
   32  the public health, safety  or  general  welfare  to  dispense  with  the
   33  requirements of subdivision two OF THIS SECTION, the agency may dispense
   34  with  such  requirements  and  adopt  the rule, as an emergency measure.
   35  Within five days of the filing of such emergency measure in  the  office
   36  of  the department of state, the agency taking such action shall send OR
   37  TRANSMIT, AS THE CASE MAY BE, the temporary president of the senate  and
   38  the  speaker  of  the assembly a notification containing the information
   39  required by subdivision two of this  section;  provided,  however,  such
   40  notification shall also: (a) include a brief statement setting forth the
   41  reasons  why  the agency finds that it is necessary for the preservation
   42  of the public health, safety or general welfare  to  dispense  with  the
   43  requirements of subdivision two of this section and adopt the rule as an
   44  emergency  measure,  and (b) provide the date the emergency measure will
   45  terminate if the agency does not intend  to  adopt  such  measure  as  a
   46  permanent  rule, or indicate that the agency intends to adopt such meas-
   47  ure as a permanent rule, in which case compliance with the  notification
   48  requirements  of  this section shall be deemed satisfied. The effective-
   49  ness of any such emergency measure, unless adopted as a  permanent  rule
   50  in  the manner prescribed by law, shall not exceed ninety days after the
   51  filing of such measure  in  the  office  of  the  department  of  state,
   52  provided,  however,  if such emergency measure is readopted prior to the
   53  expiration of such ninety day period such readoption and any  subsequent
   54  readoptions shall remain in effect for no longer than sixty days.
   55    S 7. Section 146 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 17 of the
   56  laws  of  1984, paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 189
       S. 642                              4
    1  of the laws of 1996, subdivision 4-a as amended by  chapter  41  of  the
    2  laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
    3    S 146. Publication  of  certain  public  notices. 1. The department of
    4  state shall publish, pursuant to the schedule  in  section  one  hundred
    5  forty-seven of this article, AND POST ON ITS INTERNET WEBSITE a publica-
    6  tion  to be known as the state register, in which shall be published AND
    7  POSTED from time to time as received by such department:
    8    (a) rules, orders, designations, and notices submitted  by  the  chief
    9  administrator of the courts;
   10    (b)  notices  and  advertisements required by state statute or federal
   11  law, rule or regulation to be published by an agency in a newspaper;
   12    (c) notices required by statute  to  be  published  in  newspapers  in
   13  actions against foreign corporations;
   14    (d)  notices  and job impact statements required by the state adminis-
   15  trative procedure act to be published in the state register; and
   16    (e) any other matter required by statute to be published in the  state
   17  register.
   18    2.  The  secretary of state may, at his OR HER discretion, publish AND
   19  POST in the state register any notice or information which is not other-
   20  wise required by statute to be submitted to him OR HER by an  agency  or
   21  public  corporation  for publication in the state register, in instances
   22  where such publication AND POSTING will serve the public interest.
   23    3. With regard to rule making notices required  to  be  published  AND
   24  POSTED in the state register pursuant to article two of the state admin-
   25  istrative  procedure  act,  the  secretary  of  state may, at his OR HER
   26  discretion, publish AND POST the complete text of a proposed or  adopted
   27  rule,  which is not otherwise required to be published AND POSTED in the
   28  state register, in instances where such  publication  AND  POSTING  will
   29  serve  the  public  interest. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL ACCEPT FROM A
   30  STATE AGENCY ALL RULEMAKING NOTICES, STATEMENTS AND ANALYSES AS REQUIRED
   31  BY THE STATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT, DATA, RULES, AND  REGULATIONS
   32  AS PROVIDED FOR BY ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW.
   33    4. With regard to a notice of adoption published in the state register
   34  pursuant  to  article two of the state administrative procedure act, for
   35  which the corresponding notice of proposed  rule  making  published  AND
   36  POSTED in the state register included the complete text of the rule, the
   37  secretary  of  state  may,  at  his  OR HER discretion, include only the
   38  changes in such text in the notice of adoption.
   39    4-a. Notice of the availability of any state or federal funding  which
   40  is to be distributed by any agency upon application by any municipality,
   41  school  board, school district, not-for-profit organization or any other
   42  individual or organization entitled to apply for such  funding  pursuant
   43  to  any law, rule or regulation governing the distribution of such funds
   44  shall be published AND POSTED in the state register. Such  notice  shall
   45  appear  in  the register no later than forty-five days prior to the last
   46  day for receipt of applications for such funding.  Such notice shall not
   47  be required: (i) whenever a notice has been published in the procurement
   48  opportunities newsletter pursuant to  article  four-C  of  the  economic
   49  development  law;  (ii) for state or federal transportation funding; and
   50  (iii) in those instances where an entity has  been  specifically  desig-
   51  nated  by  law  or legislative resolution to receive funding. Failure to
   52  publish the notice in a timely manner shall not be a basis  for  setting
   53  aside an award or challenging a contract or other legal claim.
   54    5.  The  publication  AND POSTING of notices and advertisements in the
   55  state register shall be additional to their publication  in  newspapers,
   56  whenever publication in newspapers is required by statute.
       S. 642                              5
    1    6.  The  secretary of state shall promulgate rules establishing proce-
    2  dure, forms, font and style for submission of material  by  any  person,
    3  agency  or  public  corporation for publication AND POSTING in the state
    4  register.
    5    S  8. Subdivision 3 of section 148 of the executive law, as amended by
    6  chapter 636 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
    7    3. Subscriptions to the state register shall be made available to  the
    8  public  by  either  first or second class mail, OR IN ELECTRONIC FORM at
    9  the election of the subscriber. A reasonable rate for a subscription  to
   10  PRINTED  COPIES  OF  the  regular  issue and quarterly index required by
   11  subdivision three of section one hundred forty-seven of this article, to
   12  be not more than eighty dollars per year for first class  mail  delivery
   13  and not more than forty dollars per year for second class mail delivery,
   14  shall  be  set  by  the  secretary  of state. The secretary of state may
   15  charge no more than one dollar and fifty cents  per  single  copy  of  a
   16  PRINTED  regular  issue  or quarterly index of the state register. Rates
   17  shall not be set at such a level that the anticipated total subscription
   18  revenues exceed the total cost of producing, printing  and  distributing
   19  the state register.
   20    S  9. Subdivision 1 of section 149 of the executive law, as amended by
   21  chapter 17 of the laws of 1984, is amended and a new  subdivision  4  is
   22  added to read as follows:
   23    1.  The  PRINTED  VERSION  OF THE state register shall be an eight and
   24  one-half by eleven inch booklet with three holes  punched  in  the  left
   25  hand  margin  to make such register suitable for storage in an eight and
   26  one-half by eleven inch loose-leaf binder.
   27    4. TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, EVERY  VERSION  OF  THE  STATE  REGISTER
   28  TRANSMITTED  BY  ELECTRONIC  MEANS  SHALL  SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLY WITH THE
   29  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   30    S 10. Section 87 of the legislative law is amended  by  adding  a  new
   31  subdivision 4 to read as follows:
   32    4.  THE  COMMISSION SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO REQUEST AND RECEIVE, FROM A
   33  STATE  AGENCY,  ALL  RULEMAKING  NOTICES,  STATEMENTS  AND  ANALYSES  AS
   34  PROVIDED  FOR  PURSUANT TO THE STATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT, DATA,
   35  RULES, REGULATIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION BY ELECTRONIC MEANS AS PROVIDED
   36  FOR BY ARTICLE THREE OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW.
   37    S 11. This act shall take effect on  the  one  hundred  twentieth  day
   38  after  it shall have become a law, provided that the amendments to para-
   39  graph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 202-d of the state  administrative
   40  procedure act, made by section four of this act, shall be subject to the
   41  expiration  and  reversion  of such subdivision pursuant to section 2 of
   42  chapter 402 of the laws of 1994, as amended, when  upon  such  date  the
   43  provisions  of section five of this act shall take effect; and provided,
   44  further, that effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or
   45  repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
   46  this act on its effective date are authorized and directed  to  be  made
   47  and completed on or before such effective date.
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