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Senate Corporations, Authorities and Commissions committee advances eight bills, including digital equity and limits on nondisclosure clauses
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Summary
The Senate Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions met Jan. 20, 2026, and voted to report eight bills to the floor, from a measure banning certain nondisclosure provisions in state contracts to a digital equity plan and new requirements for public hearings on major Empire State Development projects.
The New York State Senate Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions on Tuesday advanced eight bills to the Senate floor after brief presentations and unanimous or broadly supported voice votes.
Chair opened the committee’s first convening of the 2026 legislative session and framed the meeting around transparency and oversight, saying, “As you know, transparency is a big issue for me.” Committee staff summarized each bill and motions to move the measures were offered and seconded; committee director Nia James confirmed a quorum.
The most consequential measures included a bill to prohibit confidentiality and nondisclosure clauses in certain contracts with the state or municipalities (S373), and a digital equity bill (S1336) that would establish a statewide digital equity plan and related grant programs to expand reliable internet access. Committee staff described S373 as intended to “ensure that private parties do not bind state officials with nondisclosure provisions in negotiations and contracts, ensuring proper public review.” Staff described S1336 as a mechanism to “enact the New York State digital equity plan” and to establish grant programs to improve internet service reliability.
Other bills reported to the floor would require attorney general and state controller review and approval of proposed state or public-authority sales of real property with an estimated fair market value greater than $250,000 (S2324); repeal a subdivision of the Public Authorities Law related to voting membership on the authority control board (S2459); require additional project application information for members of the Public Authorities Control Board before voting on project funding (S3736); include stormwater within the definition of sewage for certain water and sewer authorities so those authorities may manage stormwater (S4071a); establish a procedure for appointing a president or chairperson on vacancy and correct gendered language (S4576a); and require Empire State Development to record and post public hearings for major projects (S5551).
Votes at a glance
- S373 (Generis): Prohibits certain confidentiality/nondisclosure clauses in state or municipal contracts — moved and seconded (Sen. Murrow; Sen. Martin); reported to the floor. - S1336 (Parker): Establishes the New York State digital equity plan and grant programs — reported unanimously to the floor. - S2324 (Chair): Requires AG and comptroller review for sales of state/public-authority property over $250,000 — moved and seconded; reported to the floor. - S2459 (Chair): Repeals a subdivision of the Public Authorities Law affecting control board voting membership — moved and seconded; reported to the floor. - S3736 (Chair): Increases information provided to Public Authorities Control Board members ahead of funding votes — moved and seconded; reported to the floor. - S4071a (May): Clarifies that certain water and sewer authorities may include stormwater management in their spending authority — reported to the floor. - S4576a (Scoofus/Scoopis): Establishes vacancy appointment procedure and updates gendered language — reported to the floor. - S5551 (Clare): Requires recording and public posting of hearings for major Empire State Development projects — reported to the floor.
What to watch next
All eight bills were moved and reported to the Senate floor for further consideration. The committee record shows motions and seconds and voice votes; explicit roll-call tallies were not stated in the transcript provided. The next procedural step for each bill is consideration by the full Senate.
Meeting context and process notes
The hearing was procedural and focused on presenting statutory changes and clarifications; there was little extended debate on individual bills in the transcript. The committee emphasized transparency reforms across public authorities, contracts and public hearings. Where the transcript records a specific numeric threshold (S2324), it states an estimated fair market value greater than $250,000 triggers additional review.
