A 1256: Enacts the "access for all act" removing the requirement for in person attendance at public meetings by community boards in a city with a population of over one million.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1256 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 9, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BORES, GIBBS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to amend the public officers law, in relation to removing the requirement for in person attendance at public meetings by certain community boards The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "access for all act (AFA)". 3 § 2. Section 103-a of the public officers law is amended by adding a 4 new subdivision 3-a to read as follows: 5 3-a. The in person participation requirements of this section shall 6 not apply to community boards in a city with a population of over one 7 million; provided, however, that notwithstanding the requirements set 8 forth in this section, such community boards shall not be required to 9 maintain a physical location for meetings; and provided further, howev- 10 er, that such community boards may, through written procedures governing 11 member and public attendance established pursuant to and consistent with 12 this section, allow for any member to be considered present for purposes 13 of fulfilling the quorum requirements of such public body at any meet- 14 ings conducted through videoconferencing, provided, however that the 15 remaining criteria set forth in this section are otherwise met. 16 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that 17 the amendments to section 103-a of the public officers law made by 18 section two of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and 19 shall be deemed repealed therewith. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02272-01-5