Bill > S03062

This bill amends the Public Officers Law, the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, the Executive Law, and the Legislative Law to establish new requirements for the retention and preservation of electronic records, including emails, by state agencies and the state legislature. The bill: - Requires state agencies and the legislature to preserve electronic records, particularly those of policymakers, and transfer them to the State Archives for permanent preservation. - Establishes specific requirements for the documentation and formatting of electronic records transferred to the State Archives. - Allows for legal action by the public to enforce the electronic records retention requirements, and provides for the awarding of costs and attorney's fees in successful actions. - Repeals provisions that exempted the legislature from the state's Freedom of Information Law, bringing the legislature under the same disclosure requirements as the executive branch. - Protects certain communications between state legislators and their constituents from public disclosure. Overall, the bill aims to promote transparency and accountability in state government by ensuring the preservation and accessibility of electronic records, including those of policymakers and the legislature.