Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) announced today that legislation she sponsored to amend the rural electric cooperative law (A.7205) has passed the Assembly. The bill, sponsored by Senator Rachel May, D-Syracuse, also passed the Senate.

“The COVID-19 pandemic forced the transition to work virtually onto many of our industries – some of which previously had no remote working model set in place – including rural electric cooperatives. In fact, there is legislation dating back to the 1940s requiring rural electric cooperatives to meet in person.

“To allow these meetings to take place throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor passed an executive order to allow Rural Electric Cooperatives to meet virtually and has given them more flexibility for their meetings. However, this executive order is set to expire, which is why I helped to pass a bill to allow meetings of members of a rural electric cooperative to be held partially or solely by means of electronic communication (A.7205). The legislation would allow these cooperatives to continue meeting virtually, which could also increase member participation in meetings and elections. COVID-19 has caused many seismic changes in our state and this update to the law would ensure that they are able to use the flexibility that today’s technology affords them.”

This bill was also designed to go into effect immediately.