Exempts citywide/community education councils (CCECs), school leadership teams (SLTs) and district leadership teams (DLTs) from the in-person quorum requirements for videoconferencing by public bodies.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7599
SPONSOR: Epstein TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public officers law, in relation to exempting
certain entities from the in-person quorum requirements for videoconfer-
encing by public bodies
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 103-a of the public officers law to exempt
citywide/community education council, school leadership teams, and
district leadership teams from in-person quorum requirements
Section 2 provides the effective date
JUSTIFICATION:
A series of executive orders and legislation enabled public bodies
subject to the open meeting law to meet remotely during the height of
the pandemic. CECs, SLTs, and DLTs reported dramatic increases in
participation as a result of the ease with which parents could attend
virtual meetings in contrast to in-person meetings which require extra
travel, child care arrangements, and created other challenges for busy
parents. Under current law, certain public bodies can choose to meet
virtually, so long as there is an in-person quorum as well. This
requirement is not achievable for many CCECs, SLTs, and DLTs, because of
a lack of resources. These volunteer run entities do not have the fund-
ing or support staff needed to enable the hybrid meetings required under
the law. This legislation preserves and enhances public participation in
government for New Yorkers who may otherwise be unable to participate
because of challenges of parenting school-age children.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7599
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 25, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to exempting
certain entities from the in-person quorum requirements for videocon-
ferencing by public bodies
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 103-a of the public officers law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 2-a to read as follows:
3 2-a. The in-person quorum requirements in subdivision two of this
4 section shall not apply to citywide/community education councils
5 (CCECs), school leadership teams (SLTs) and district leadership teams
6 (DLTs).
7 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately provided, however, that
8 the amendments to section 130-a of the public officers law made by
9 section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and
10 shall be deemed repealed therewith.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11440-01-3
