Common Cause/NY Testifies Before NYS Senate and Assembly on Video Conferencing

NEW YORK, NY (12/19/2024) (readMedia)-- Today, Susan Lerner, the Executive Director of Common Cause/NY, testified in front of the New York State Senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations and Assembly Committee on Governmental Operations. She argued the need for hybrid testimony for public hearings and cautioned against allowing all remote hearings for elected officials.

"We are concerned that allowing completely remote participation by elected officials allows for a lack of focus and discourages interaction and discussion between the officials, particularly those of different parties. Such meetings foster the public perception that the public's business is not being conducted in the open, but behind closed doors, leading to a cynicism and lack of interest by the public. And while the current legislative meetings are proforma, with predictable party-line votes, we look forward to a day when committees conduct robust discussions and bill- markups in public after receiving public testimony and hearing from a bill's sponsor and opponents, which we fear will be delayed by allowing meetings to be held exclusively remotely."

Testimony attached.