New York Assembly Bill A07510

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/28/25
• Refer: 3/28/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Authorizes state and municipal agencies to establish rules and regulations for the use, distribution, duplication, sale and resale of geographic information systems materials disclosed under the freedom of information law; authorizes the imposition of fees for copies of such materials which do not exceed the fair market value of the materials; establishes such rules and regulations shall be consistent with those adopted by the committee on open government; authorizes applicants to appeal the reasonableness of any fees imposed therefor.

Summary

This bill amends the New York Public Officers Law to give state and municipal agencies more explicit authority over geographic information systems (GIS) materials that are disclosed under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). Agencies that hold or produce GIS materials could adopt rules governing how those materials may be used, distributed, duplicated, sold, or resold after disclosure. The bill also allows agencies to charge fees for copies of GIS materials, but only up to the materials’ fair market value. The measure requires any agency rules and fee-setting practices to be consistent with guidelines issued by the Committee on Open Government. If an applicant believes a fee exceeds fair market value, the applicant may appeal to the agency head or governing body, which must decide within ten business days whether to approve or reduce the fee. The agency must also send the appeal and its determination to the Committee on Open Government.

Impact

The bill would create a specific statutory framework for handling GIS records under FOIL, carving out special treatment for these materials compared with ordinary public records. It would authorize agencies to impose use restrictions and charge market-based fees for copies, potentially affecting access, reuse, and commercial redistribution of government mapping and spatial data. The bill would also add an administrative appeal process for fee disputes and reinforce the role of the Committee on Open Government in setting guidance.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a management and cost-recovery bill rather than a broad access restriction, with an emphasis on consistency with open-government rules and a built-in appeal process. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to assess. The available context suggests the bill is intended to balance public access to GIS records with agency control over distribution and recovery of copying costs.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely to be whether agencies should be allowed to impose special conditions and fees on GIS materials that are otherwise subject to FOIL. Supporters would likely argue that GIS data can be costly to produce and maintain, and that fair-market-value fees and reuse rules protect public investments and prevent uncompensated commercial exploitation. Opponents would likely worry that the bill could create barriers to access, increase costs for requesters, and give agencies too much discretion over the downstream use of public data, even with the appeal process and Open Government oversight.