File #: Int 1801-2019    Version: * Name: Information posted to the department of education’s website.
Type: Introduction Status: Filed (End of Session)
Committee: Committee on Education
On agenda: 11/14/2019
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to information posted to the department of education's website
Sponsors: Mark Treyger, Ben Kallos, Margaret S. Chin
Council Member Sponsors: 3
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Education (“DOE”) to report certain information on its website. The bill would require DOE to ensure that the search engine on its website is designed to find certain reports when one or more keywords relating to the report’s subject matter are entered. It would also require DOE to ensure that such reports are easily understandable by the general public, and that all publicly accessible information on its website remains publicly accessible. This bill would also require DOE to post on its website and file with the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council a report about functioning and non-functioning hyperlinks on its website, as well as documents available through its website before and after it was redesigned. DOE would also be required to repair or redirect any non-functioning hyperlinks and repost documents that were available before the website was redesigned. This bill would also require DOE to submit to the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council, as well as post on its website, a report regarding feedback it has received from the public about its website, and provide an explanation regarding what changes it has made or plans to make in response to such feedback.
Indexes: Report Required, Sunset Date Applies
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1801, 2. Int. No. 1801, 3. November 14, 2019 - Stated Meeting Agenda with Links to Files, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 11-14-19, 5. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - November 14, 2019

Int. No. 1801

 

By Council Members Treyger, Kallos and Chin

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to information posted to the department of education’s website

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Title 21-A of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new chapter 28 to read as follows:

Chapter 28. Website

§ 21-999 Search engine and presentation of information. a. No later than December 31, 2020, the department’s website shall contain a search engine such that, when a user enters into such search engine one or more keywords relating to the subject matter of a report that the department is required by local law to post on its website, such search produces such report.

b. No later than December 31, 2020, in all instances in which the department is required by local law to post information on its website, the department shall ensure that such information is available in plain language and is presented in a manner that, according to the department, is easily understandable by the general public.

c. Any publicly accessible information posted on the department’s website as of the effective date of the local law that added this section shall remain publicly accessible on the department’s website.

§ 2. Availability of website content. a. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Document. The term “document” means any record, report, statement, memorandum, opinion, book, booklet, manual, pamphlet, paper or letter that is or was made available to the public electronically on the website of the department, in any format whatsoever.

Website redesign. The term “website redesign” means the new websites located at the web addresses www.schools.nyc.gov and infohub.nyced.org launched by the department on July 10, 2018.

b. No later than 9 months after the effective date of this local law, the department shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the department’s website, a report disclosing the following:

1. The number of functioning hyperlinks on the department’s website;

2. The number of non-functioning hyperlinks within the domain of such website;

3. The number and types of documents that are available on the department’s website; and

4. The number and types of documents that were available on the department’s website during the 5 years immediately preceding the website redesign.

c. No later than 6 months after the department submits its report to the mayor and the speaker of the council as required by subdivision b of this section, the department shall make available on such website all documents that were available during the 5 years immediately preceding the website redesign, and shall, in its discretion, repair or redirect to the most relevant page of the department’s website any non-functioning hyperlinks in the domain of such website.

d. Upon compliance with all the requirements in subdivision c of this section, the department shall certify such compliance to the mayor and the speaker of the council.

§ 3. Reporting on website feedback. a. No later than 1 year after the effective date of this local law, the department shall submit to the speaker of the council and the mayor, and post on the department’s website, a report regarding feedback received from the general public about the department’s website and the department’s response to such feedback.

b. Such report shall consist of, at a minimum, the following information:

1. The number of messages received from the public that provided feedback on the department’s website, including a summary of the content of such feedback;

2. Whether the department has made any changes to the website in response to such feedback; and

3. If the department has made changes, a detailed explanation regarding what changes were made; or, if the department has not made such changes, a timeline demonstrating when the department plans to make such changes or a detailed explanation regarding why such changes will not be made.

c. Such report shall be anonymized.

§ 4. This local law takes effect immediately, except that section two of this local law is deemed repealed once the department has submitted and posted the report as required by subdivision b of section two of this local law and the department has certified compliance with all the requirements in subdivision c of section two of this local law, and section three of this local law is deemed repealed once the department has submitted and posted the report as required by section 3 of this local law.

 

SJ, JG

LS #10982

10/4/19