Committee advances bill to post taxpayer‑funded research online after exchange over journal funding

The New York State Senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations voted March 24, 2026 to refer S 4693, the Taxpayer Access to Publicly Funded Research Act, to the Finance Committee after a brief exchange on how the bill would affect scholarly publishers.

The bill, read into the record by the committee clerk, would require research funded with taxpayer dollars to be posted publicly by the agencies and the Legislature. Legislative staff member Gabe, who handled the bill’s explanation, said the measure "just requires them to do is post those, publicly on their website," adding that it "doesn't have them advertised or anything else" and that the committee had "not heard any opposition" to the concept.

Sen. Cleary asked how the requirement would work in practice and whether it would distinguish New Yorkers from non‑residents accessing posted materials. Cleary also raised concerns about the economic impact on scholarly journals, noting that "they tend to be very expensive" and that many journals depend on subscription revenue to survive. Gabe responded that posting would make research available online but, as explained to the committee, would not require additional promotional activities beyond posting.

Supporters framed the bill as a transparency measure for works produced with public funds, saying taxpayers who help underwrite research should be able to access the results. Committee members voted to refer the bill to Finance for further consideration; no formal amendments were adopted during the session.

The committee is expected to consider S 4693 further when it reaches the Finance Committee. The clerk first read the bill at the committee meeting and the discussion recorded in the transcript began when the clerk introduced the item and concluded with the referral vote.