Originally Published: August 7, 2014
Transparency measures will improve public access to government
Announces support for effort to put online archived information from past city records
Statement by Executive Director Dick Dadey
New Yorkers are seeing some important sunlight today as Citizens Union hails Mayor Bill de Blasio for signing into law two pieces of legislation passed by the City Council, Intro 149-A (Councilmember Brad Lander) and Intro 363-A (Councilmember Ben Kallos) that will put online the city’s laws and the City Record in a more searchable and user-friendly form.
Citizens Union testified in favor of putting the City Record online first in 2009, and subsequently, the City created searchable portals for procurement notices and rules changes. This new law will make more user-friendly the remaining content of the City Record to the public, including public meeting notices. Citizens Union in June of this year testified in favor of the Intros 149 and 363, which were later amended following Citizens Union’s feedback which included keeping the City Record also in print form for those New Yorkers who don’t have access to the internet.
“Technology is a powerful tool to improve the way in which the public is informed about city government and how it makes decisions,” said Dick Dadey, Executive Director of Citizens Union. “We are pleased to see Mayor de Blasio sign into law bills introduced into the Council by Councilmembers Brad Lander and Ben Kallos which will provide online in a more searchable manner the city’s laws and City Record. As a result of their actions, the public will now be able to more easily find information about the city’s laws, public meetings, hearings, and rules changes.”
Citizens Union also announced its support for a civic partnership to put online archived City Record information, the City Record Online Working Group, coordinated by BetaNYC.