Bill > S03043

This bill aims to improve transparency and accountability in the executive and legislative branches of the New York state government. It does this by: 1. Requiring state agencies and the state legislature to preserve electronic records, including emails, of policymakers for at least 15-25 years, and records of other officials for at least 7 years, under the guidance of the State Archives. 2. Applying the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) to the state legislature, allowing the public to access the same types of information from the legislature as they can from the executive branch and local governments. 3. Repealing provisions that exempt the legislature from FOIL and allow for the confidential disclosure of information by applicants. 4. Directing the State Archives to develop protocols and procedures for the preservation and review of electronic records across state government. The bill is intended to address concerns about the potential destruction of records that could undermine transparency and accountability, particularly in light of the executive branch's policy of automatically deleting emails after 90 days.