Bill > S00334

This bill modifies the Public Officers Law to encourage government agencies and state legislative houses to proactively publish records of public interest on their websites. The legislation recognizes that technological advances have made it easier to disseminate public information and argues that government should leverage these capabilities to enhance transparency. Under the bill, agencies and legislative houses are directed to publish records that are already publicly available and deemed to be of substantial public interest, when they have the technological capability to do so. The bill includes protections to prevent the publication of records that would inappropriately invade personal privacy, and allows agencies to remove records from their websites when they are no longer of significant public interest or have reached the end of their legal retention period. The Committee on Open Government is tasked with creating regulations to implement these provisions, and the bill importantly does not limit agencies' existing abilities to publish records proactively. The legislation aims to make government more accessible and accountable by leveraging internet technologies to share public information more widely and efficiently.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S334