Bill > S03421

This bill requires meetings between the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly that discuss the state budget to be open to the general public. Specifically, the bill mandates that these budget discussions must allow public attendance, with at least one physical location where the public can observe the meeting. The meetings must be open to being photographed, broadcast, webcast, or recorded through audio or video means. The bill further requires that these meetings be broadcast in real-time and streamed on the websites of the governor, senate, and assembly, with recordings maintained and posted online both during and for a reasonable time after the meeting. This legislation aims to increase transparency in the state budget negotiation process by providing the public with direct access to and insight into how key state budget decisions are made. The bill would amend the public officers law by adding a new section (103-b) to ensure these transparency requirements are implemented, and it is set to take effect immediately upon passage.