Provides that the availability of bills in an electronic printable format shall constitute a printed bill for purposes of section 14 of article 3 of the constitution.

---

S4140-2011 Actions

• Jan 9, 2012: TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
• Jun 22, 2011: OPINION REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
• Mar 31, 2011: TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR OPINION
• Mar 21, 2011: REFERRED TO JUDICIARY

S4140-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S4140

TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
proposing an amendment
to article 3 of the constitution, in relation to the printing of bills

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to enact a constitutional
amendment that would allow all bills sponsored by the Senate and
Assembly be made available on the legislators' desk in a digital form.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends section 14 of Article 3 of the New York State
Constitution.

Article 3, Section 14: Adds line making all bills available to the
Legislature in an electronic printable format.

Section 2: Resolves that the Amendment would follow in conformity with
section 1 of Article 19 of the New York State Constitution.

JUSTIFICATION:
This amendment, in conjunction with the Legislative Online Digital
Paperwork Reduction Act, would establish that all bills in the Senate
and Assembly would be presented to these chambers in a digital format.

Currently, the Senate and the Assembly spend hundreds of thousands of
dollars printing off sponsored bills, amended bills and budgets. Each
desk in these chambers is then riddled with piles of paper; paper
that more often than not ends up in the trash.

By changing the constitution to allow the chambers to "go digital" we
would save time, money and our environment. Allowing these bills to
be in a digital format would allow Senators, Assembly members and
staff to print these bills upon request.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Amendment.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
RESOLVED (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing amendments be
referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
next succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in
conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be
published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.

S4140-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    4140

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                               March 21, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sens.  BALL,  LIBOUS,  ZELDIN  -- read twice and ordered
    printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on  Judici-
    ary

              CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

  proposing  an amendment to article 3 of the constitution, in relation to
    the printing of bills

    Section 1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 14 of arti-
  cle 3 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:

    S 14. No bill shall be passed or become a law  unless  it  shall  have
  been  printed  OR  MADE  AVAILABLE IN AN ELECTRONIC PRINTABLE FORMAT and
  upon the desks of the members, in its final form, at least three  calen-
  dar legislative days prior to its final passage, unless the governor, or
  the acting governor, shall have certified, under his or her hand and the
  seal  of the state, the facts which in his or her opinion necessitate an
  immediate vote thereon, in which case it must nevertheless be  upon  the
  desks  of the members in final form, not necessarily printed, before its
  final passage; nor shall any bill be passed or become a law,  except  by
  the  assent  of  a majority of the members elected to each branch of the
  legislature; and upon the last reading of a bill, no  amendment  thereof
  shall be allowed, and the question upon its final passage shall be taken
  immediately thereafter, and the ayes and nays entered on the journal.
    S  2.  Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing amendment
  be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
  next succeeding general election of members of  the  assembly,  and,  in
  conformity  with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution, be
  published for 3 months previous to the time of such election.



   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
  S                                                          LBD89118-01-1