STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________

8071

2021-2022 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

June 11, 2021 ___________

Introduced by M. of A. McMAHON -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Governmental Operations

AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to conducting meet- ings of public bodies via video conference technology

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows:

1 Section 1. Subdivision (c) of section 103 of the public officers law, 2 as added by chapter 289 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 (c) (i) A public body that uses videoconferencing to conduct its meet- 5 ings shall provide an opportunity for the public to attend, listen and 6 observe [at any site at which a member participates]. 7 (ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (i) of this subdivision, a public body 8 of a municipal corporation, as defined by section sixty-six of the 9 general construction law, may conduct a meeting via video conference if 10 such public body: (1) provides an opportunity for the public to contem- 11 poraneously view and listen to such meeting online; (2) makes a video 12 recording of such meeting; and (3) posts such video recording on such 13 public body's website within five business days of such meeting. In 14 addition, upon request of a member of the public, such public body shall 15 make available a specific location within the jurisdiction of such 16 municipal corporation for the public to view and listen to such meeting 17 online, provided such request is received at least forty-eight hours 18 prior to the time such meeting is scheduled to begin. 19 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD11476-01-1