No. 61: Directing New York State Agencies to Reform Outdated Regulations and Policies That Waste Time and Money

No. 61

E X E C U T I VE O R D ER

DIRECTING NEW YORK STATE AGENCIES TO REFORM OUTDATED REGULATIONS AND POLICIES THAT WASTE TIME AND MONEY

WHEREAS, the State of New York is committed to fostering a vibrant state economy and reducing unnecessary barriers that hinder the ability of New Yorkers to thrive;

WHEREAS, the EXPRESS NY (Expediting Processes and Regulations to Enable Streamlined Services), initiative was established to streamline government services, modernize outdated and burdensome regulations that stand in the way of delivering the projects and services New Yorkers need, and ensure that New York State remains a premier destination for innovation and economic opportunity;

WHEREAS, many existing regulations, while well-intentioned at their inception, contain requirements that have become obsolete, unnecessarily increase costs, restrict access to services, or delay progress;

WHEREAS, unnecessary fines, fees, and penalties can place an inequitable burden on New Yorkers and small businesses;

WHEREAS, redundant reports, unnecessary boards, and overlapping commissions consume valuable State resources and taxpayer dollars without providing a commensurate public benefit;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of New York, do hereby order as follows:

Definitions

“Affected State Entity” means (i) an agency or department over which the Governor has executive authority, or (ii) a public benefit corporation, public authority, board, or commission for which the Governor appoints the Chair, the Chief Executive, or the majority of Members, except for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Modernizing Outdated Regulations

Each Affected State Entity shall conduct a review of its existing regulations and administrative procedures to identify inefficiencies that hinder the state’s ability to deliver for New Yorkers. This review should include, but not be limited to, identifying:

• Regulatory requirements for submissions that demand delivery by mail or facsimile (fax), multiple printed copies, obsolete communications (e.g., telegram), check payment, or wet signature, where digital or other alternative submissions or payment methods would be more efficient.
• Opportunities for more flexibility for hearings and meetings currently required to be held in-person, where hearings or meetings in hybrid formats would be legally permissible and operationally feasible.
  
• Opportunities to eliminate unnecessary notarization requirements, where self-attestation under penalty of perjury or utilizing electronic notarization would be appropriate.
• Any regulatory requirement that adds significant compliance costs to small businesses or individuals without providing a clear public benefit.

Review of Fines, Fees, and Penalties

Each Affected State Entity shall review its fee schedules and penalty structures to ensure they are fair, transparent, and proportionate. This review should include, but not be limited to, identifying:

• Fines or fees that disproportionately impact low-income New Yorkers or small businesses.
• Penalties that can be reduced, waived for first-time non-willful violations, or replaced with cure periods to incentivize compliance over penalization.
• Opportunities for consolidating or streamlining fee requirements across agencies in situations where multiple agencies require fees for the same action by an applicant.

Streamlining of Mandated Reports and Boards, Commissions, and Councils

To ensure that taxpayer money is being used wisely and the State resources are used effectively, each Affected State Entity shall:

• Identify reports mandated by regulation, policy, or statute that are no longer utilized, are redundant, or can be consolidated.
• Evaluate all boards, councils, task forces and commissions within their purview and recommend the dissolution or reform of any such body that has not recently met, no longer serves the public interest, or whose functions have been superseded by other entities.

G I V E N under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State

in the City of Albany this 8th day of July in

the year two thousand twenty-six.

BY THE GOVERNOR

Secretary to the Governor