{"data":{"id":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-charter-20-u","jurisdiction":"us-nyc","citation":"N.Y.C. Charter § 20-u","heading":"Section 20-u. Office of algorithmic accountability.","body":"a. \n\t\t\t\t\t\tDefinitions. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:\n\nAffected person. The term “affected person” means an individual whose rights, liberties, benefits, or safety may be impacted by the city’s use of an algorithmic tool.\n\nAlgorithmic tool. The term “algorithmic tool” has the same meaning as set forth in section 3-119.5 of the administrative code.\n\nArtificial intelligence. The term “artificial intelligence” has the same meaning as set forth in subsection (3) of section 9401 of title 15 of the United States code.\n\nDirector. The term “director” means the director of algorithmic accountability.\n\nIdentifying information. The term “identifying information” has the same meaning as set forth in section 23-1201 of the administrative code.\n\nOffice. The term “office” means the office of algorithmic accountability.\n\nPublic-impacting artificial intelligence. The term “public-impacting artificial intelligence” means any artificial intelligence that could reasonably be expected to materially impact the rights, liberties, benefits, safety or interests of the public, including the public’s access to available city services and resources for which they may be eligible.\n\nb. \n\t\t\t\t\t\tOffice established. The commissioner of the department of information technology and telecommunications shall establish an office of algorithmic accountability. Such office shall be headed by a director of algorithmic accountability who shall be appointed by the mayor. Such office shall also include other employees as may be designated by the commissioner of the department of information technology and telecommunications to assist in the performance of the duties of such office. In the event the director is removed or resigns, the mayor shall appoint a new director within 90 days of such removal or resignation.\n\nc. \n\t\t\t\t\t\tPowers and duties. The director shall have the power and duty to:\n\n1. Collaborate with agencies to:\n\n(a) Analyze algorithmic tools submitted to the office by an agency to determine whether the office identifies a risk that the proposed use of such tool could result in discriminatory decision-making as a result of actual or potential biases and, where applicable, whether the proposed use of such tool would satisfy the basic compliance standards promulgated pursuant to subdivision e of this section, and report the findings of such analysis to such agency, and repeat such analysis no less than once every 4 years or when a modification is made to the design or functionality of the tool that may affect such tool’s outcomes;\n\n(b) Assist agencies with compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to the use of algorithmic tools; and\n\n(c) Conduct pre-deployment assessments of the risks associated with the intended use of algorithmic tools;\n\n2. Create and maintain a public-facing platform that provides a mechanism for the submission of comments and questions by members of the public about a specific algorithmic tool used by an agency and make such comments and questions publicly available in chronological order to the extent possible without disclosing identifying information;\n\n3. Establish a protocol in consultation with the commissioner of investigation for receiving complaints from members of the public about the city’s use of algorithmic tools and referring such complaints to the appropriate agency or office, and for making such complaints publicly available in chronological order to the extent possible without disclosing identifying information;\n\n4. Plan and implement a public engagement and education strategy related to the city’s use of algorithmic tools;\n\n5. Establish a protocol for receiving information, inquiries, and requests for assistance from agencies, and conduct regular outreach, no less than annually, to each agency informing them of the assistance that the office of algorithmic accountability can provide to them, and requesting any information that the office of algorithmic accountability may require in order to meet its legal requirements;\n\n6. Conduct corrective action related to the city’s use of an algorithmic tool that the director deems appropriate, including providing training for an agency’s personnel regarding the use of such a tool and suspending the use of a tool:\n\n(a) if the director determines that the use of such tool does not satisfy the basic compliance standards promulgated pursuant to subdivision e of this section, where applicable; or\n\n(b) if the director determines that there is a risk that the proposed use of such tool could result in discriminatory decision-making as a result of actual or potential biases;\n\n7. Promulgate rules consistent with the purpose of this section; and\n\n8. Perform other relevant duties as the mayor may assign.\n\nd. \n\t\t\t\t\t\tAgency cooperation. All city agencies shall cooperate with the office to facilitate the timely and efficient performance of such office’s duties.\n\ne. The office shall promulgate rules establishing basic compliance standards that all agencies must meet in developing, procuring, deploying, and using public-impacting artificial intelligence. Such rules shall include reporting requirements for agencies to document compliance with such standards. Such standards shall be reviewed no less than every other year and updated by rule as necessary. Such standards shall include, but need not be limited to:\n\n1. Procedures for ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in public-impacting artificial intelligence decision-making processes by evaluating the fairness of any determinations, and, to the extent technically feasible, an evaluation of the process and data inputs used to produce them, including but not limited to standards for evaluating the design, application, and outcomes of public-impacting artificial intelligence to guard against bias;\n\n2. Procedures for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with the use of public-impacting artificial intelligence, including but not limited to data protection risks;\n\n3. Procedures for regular monitoring and evaluation of public-impacting artificial intelligence;\n\n4. Procedures for protecting individual privacy and civil liberties; and\n\n5. Procedures for verifying that an agency complies with such standards when such agency uses any public-impacting artificial intelligence that such agency did not develop, does not maintain, or does not control.\n\n(L.L. 2025/188, 12/25/2025, eff. 6/23/2026; Am. L.L. 2025/193, 12/25/2025, eff. 6/23/2026)","path":["New York City Charter","Chapter 1: Mayor"],"source_url":"https://files.amlegal.com/pdffiles/NewYorkCity/Charter/XML.zip","current_through":"Local Law 2026/135 (enacted August 31, 2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T02:48:59Z","sha256":"dc44c6bbce88abd0c07a1e8f643ace5da5e5f2270863d7497829876f17593117","source_id":"us-nyc","stale":true,"prev":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-charter-20-t--2","next":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-charter-20-v"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}