Section 22, Legislative Law custody and retention of records of the State Legislature

§ 22. Custody of legislative papers and documents. The secretary or clerk of each house, as the case may be, shall take charge of and keep on file all legislative papers and documents of such house, and those presented to it; and shall cause all such papers and documents in his charge to be so classified and arranged that they can be easily found.

As used in this section, "legislative papers and documents" means: bills and amendments thereto; fiscal notes; introducers` bill memoranda; resolutions and amendments thereto; and index records; messages received from the governor or the other house of the legislature; home rule messages; legislative notification of the proposed adoption of rules by a state agency; members` code of ethics statements; transcripts, minutes or journal records of public sessions, including meetings of committees and subcommittees and public hearings, with the records of attendance of members thereat and records of any votes taken; final reports and formal opinions submitted to the legislature; and final reports or recommendations and minority or dissenting reports and opinions of members of committees, subcommittees, or commissions of the legislature.

No such paper or document shall be withdrawn from the files of either house, whether the same be in charge of the regents of the university or the secretary or clerk of such house, except that such secretary or clerk, or a deputy appointed by him, shall have access to the papers and documents of such house in charge of the regents for the purpose of taking copies. Any person may obtain a certified copy of any such paper or document in such files by applying to the secretary or clerk or such deputy in charge thereof and paying to such secretary, clerk or deputy such fees as are prescribed pursuant to the provisions of the public officers law. Either house may, by resolution, order title deeds or original documents accompanying any petition to be delivered to the persons entitled thereto. The journals of proceedings and legislative papers and documents of each house, heretofore published and now in the custody of its secretary or clerk, and such papers and documents of each house hereafter published and kept in custody of its secretary or clerk, shall be deemed for all purposes to be the original journals of the proceedings and the original papers and documents of such house. The journal clerk of each house shall compare a printed volume or volumes of its journal of proceedings hereafter published under the direction of the secretary or clerk of such house with the original manuscript copy thereof, and having noted in such printed volume or volumes each error contained therein, shall attach thereto a certificate, under his hand and official seal, that each such printed volume, as corrected, is a correct transcript of the text of such original manuscript copy. He shall thereupon deposit such printed volume or volumes, so corrected and certified, in the custody of the secretary or clerk of such house, and the same shall thereupon become and be deemed for all purposes to be the original journal or journals of proceedings of such house; and the same, or a copy certified by the secretary or clerk, or journal clerk may be read in evidence. The manuscript copy of the journal prepared by the journal clerk shall be kept continuously in the custody of the secretary or clerk until the journal shall have been printed, compared, corrected and certified in the form and manner provided herein, thereafter, in the discretion of the secretary or clerk, such manuscript copy and the original copies of introduced bills and resolutions may be destroyed.

The secretary or clerk shall cause a duplicate or typewritten copy of said manuscript copy of each day`s journal to be prepared and furnished to the printer for his use in printing the journal.

§22-a. Reproduction and destruction of certain records, books and papers of the senate.

1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the officers or employees of the senate designated by the temporary president of the senate may cause any of the following described records, books and papers on file with or in the custody of such officers or employees to be photographed, microphotographed or reproduced on film or otherwise and may destroy or otherwise dispose of such original records, books and papers, after such reproductions have been made. Such reproductions may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by such officers or employees after the lapse of the following periods of time from the dates upon which the originals thereof were filed in their offices or placed in their custody:

AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
Senate committee books of standing committees and home rule record books in the office of the journal clerk,

AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS
Record books of printed bills and index to documents,

AFTER TEN YEARS
Miscellaneous reports from other than state agencies, submitted pursuant to special acts,
Records in the financial clerk`s office, except those relating to retirement matters and senators` and employees` pay account books,
Material relating to specifications, bids, awards and correspondence relating thereto, in connection with alterations, improvements, purchase
of material,
Record books used at the senate desk and engrossing room, Senators` receipts,
Senators` warrants, Social security information and records,

AFTER SEVEN YEARS
General correspondence, Duplicate copies of payroll schedules, the originals having been transmitted to the office of the state comptroller, Duplicate copies of maintenance and operation schedules with duplicate copy of each bill, the original schedules and original bills having been transmitted to the office of the state comptroller,
Duplicate copies of purchase orders, Personnel applications,
Personal service certification forms of employees,
Lists of personnel prepared pursuant to joint rules for members of the press,
Copies of certification lists of employees transmitted to the office of the state comptroller.

2. Such photographic film or other material shall be of durable quality, and the device used to produce such records, books or papers shall be one which accurately reproduces the originals in all details. Such photographic film or other material shall be deemed to be an
original record, book or paper for all purposes, including introduction in evidence in all courts and administrative agencies. A transcript, exemplification or certified copy thereof shall be deemed to be a transcript, exemplification or certified copy of the original for all
purposes.

3. At least thirty days previous to the destruction or other disposition of any of such original records, books or papers, or any reproductions thereof, such officers or employees shall notify the commissioner of education of their intention to destroy or otherwise dispose thereof and afford the commissioner of education reasonable opportunity to examine the same to enable him to ascertain whether any of such original or reproduced records, books or papers are of historical value. Any such original or reproduced records, books and papers so ascertained to be of historical value shall not be destroyed and shall be transferred to depositories designated by the temporary president of the senate.

§ 22-b. Destruction and reproductions of assembly books and records.

1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the officers or employees of the assembly designated by the speaker of the assembly may cause any of the following described records, books and papers on file with or in the custody of such officers or employees to be photographed, microphotographed or reproduced on film or otherwise and may destroy or otherwise dispose of such original records, books and papers after such reproductions have been made. Such reproductions may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of by such officers or employees after the lapse of the following periods of time from the date upon which the originals thereof were filed in their offices or placed in their custody:

AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
Assembly committee books of standing committees and home rule record books in the office of the journal clerk.

AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS
Record books of printed bills and index to documents.

AFTER TEN YEARS
Miscellaneous reports from other than state agencies, submitted pursuant to special acts.
Material relating to specifications, bids, awards and correspondence relating thereto, in connection with alterations, improvements and purchase of materials.
Record books used at the assembly desk and engrossing clerk`s office.
Social security information and records.

AFTER SEVEN YEARS
General correspondence.
Duplicate copies of payroll forms, the originals having been transmitted to the office of the state comptroller.
Duplicate copies of maintenance and operation schedules with duplicate copy of each bill, the original schedules and bills having been transmitted to the office of the state comptroller.
Duplicate copies of purchase orders.
Personnel records and lists. Personal service voucher certification forms of employees.
Duplicate copies of certification lists of employees, the originals having been transmitted to the office of the state comptroller.

2. Such photographic film or other material shall be of durable quality, and the device used to produce such records, books or papers shall be one which accurately reproduces the originals in all details. Such photographic film or other material shall be deemed to be an original record, book or paper for all purposes, including introduction in evidence in all courts and administrative agencies. A transcript, exemplification or certified copy thereof shall be deemed to be a transcript, exemplification or certified copy of the original for all purposes.

3. At least thirty days prior to the destruction or other disposition of any records, books or papers of any assembly standing committee, or of the journal clerk`s office, or of the assembly desk, or of the engrossing clerk`s office, such officers or employees shall notify the commissioner of education of his intention to destroy or otherwise dispose thereof and afford the commissioner of education reasonable opportunity to examine the same to ascertain whether any of such records, books or papers are of historical value. Any such records, books or papers so ascertained to be of historical value shall not be destroyed and shall be transferred to depositories designated by the speaker of the assembly.