N.Y. Public Officers Law § 103: Open meetings and executive sessions

§ 103. Open meetings and executive sessions. (a) Every meeting of a

public body shall be open to the general public, except that an

executive session of such body may be called and business transacted

thereat in accordance with section ninety-five of this article.

(b) Public bodies shall make or cause to be made all reasonable

efforts to ensure that meetings are held in facilities that permit

barrier-free physical access to the physically handicapped, as defined

in subdivision five of section fifty of the public buildings law.

* (c) A public body shall provide an opportunity for the public to

attend, listen and observe meetings in at least one physical location at

which a member participates.

* NB Effective until July 15, 2028

* (c) A public body that uses videoconferencing to conduct its

meetings shall provide an opportunity for the public to attend, listen

and observe at any site at which a member participates.

* NB Effective July 15, 2028

* (d) Public bodies shall make or cause to be made all reasonable

efforts to ensure that meetings are held in an appropriate facility

which can adequately accommodate members of the public who wish to

attend such meetings.

* NB There are 2 sub (d)'s

* (d) 1. Any meeting of a public body that is open to the public shall

be open to being photographed, broadcast, webcast, or otherwise recorded

and/or transmitted by audio or video means. As used herein the term

"broadcast" shall also include the transmission of signals by cable.

2. A public body may adopt rules, consistent with recommendations from

the committee on open government, reasonably governing the location of

equipment and personnel used to photograph, broadcast, webcast, or

otherwise record a meeting so as to conduct its proceedings in an

orderly manner. Such rules shall be conspicuously posted during meetings

and written copies shall be provided upon request to those in

attendance.

* NB There are 2 sub (d)'s

(e) Agency records available to the public pursuant to article six of

this chapter, as well as any proposed resolution, law, rule, regulation,

policy or any amendment thereto, that is scheduled to be the subject of

discussion by a public body during an open meeting shall be made

available, upon request therefor, to the extent practicable at least

twenty-four hours prior to the meeting during which the records will be

discussed. Copies of such records may be made available for a reasonable

fee, determined in the same manner as provided therefor in article six

of this chapter. If the agency in which a public body functions

maintains a regularly and routinely updated website and utilizes a high

speed internet connection, such records shall be posted on the website

to the extent practicable at least twenty-four hours prior to the

meeting. An agency may, but shall not be required to, expend additional

moneys to implement the provisions of this subdivision.

(f) Open meetings of an agency or authority shall be, to the extent

practicable and within available funds, broadcast to the public and

maintained as records of the agency or authority. If the agency or

authority maintains a website and utilizes a high speed internet

connection, such open meeting shall be, to the extent practicable and

within available funds, streamed on such website in real-time, and

posted on such website within and for a reasonable time after the

meeting. For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "agency" shall

mean only a state department, board, bureau, division, council or office

and any public corporation the majority of whose members are appointed

by the governor. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "authority"

shall mean a public authority or public benefit corporation created by

or existing under any state law, at least one of whose members is

appointed by the governor (including any subsidiaries of such public

authority or public benefit corporation), other than an interstate or

international authority or public benefit corporation.