Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) joined with Chair of the Assembly's Oversight, Analysis and Investigation Committee Andrew Hevesi (D-Queens) to announce the unanimous Assembly passage of legislation that will promote greater efficiency within local governments by streamlining the general municipal law and eliminating unnecessary reporting requirements (A.7187/Hevesi).

"In the Assembly we are continuously looking for ways to help local governments operate with greater efficiency and less red tape," Silver said. "Eliminating redundant reporting requirements and other unnecessary activities will offer much-needed mandate relief and allow municipalities to focus on the issues that matter most to our local families and businesses."

The legislation stems from a new government efficiency initiative being led by the Oversight, Analysis and Investigation Committee that has found many requirements set forth in the current general municipal law to be outdated, redundant or unused and therefore unnecessary to the day-to-day operations of many local municipalities statewide. The bill would repeal several provisions and reporting requirements relating to the Board of Railroad Commissioners and its operations. The measure would also repeal provisions of the local municipal laws in relation to a temporary state commission on local government ethics that ceased operations in 1993.

"This legislation is the first of many changes in law and government operations that we in the Assembly will be putting forward," Hevesi said. "Eliminating outdated provisions will relieve municipalities of unnecessary burdens and will allow them to save money by streamlining daily operations, which is a top priority of the Assembly Majority and the Oversight, Analysis and Investigation Committee."