New York State businesses have until the end of April to review, and suggest changes to, new state regulations governing the implementation of the state's Electronic Signature and Records Act (ESRA).
The "emergency" regulations took effect March 28, said Diana A. Ehrlich, a legislative analyst for The Business Council. Ehrlich sat on an advisory committee that worked with the state Office for Technology (OFT) to develop the regulations.
Last September, lawmakers approved a law permitting the use of "electronic signatures and records" in New York. That law mandated adoption, by March 28, 2000, of regulations spelling out precisely how the law would work.
Work groups devoted to technical, legal, and business issues, each with approximately 30 members, met with OFT officials to develop the regulations. Each work groups included representatives of state agencies, local governments, and the private sector, Gianakos said.
OFT will consider suggested changes to the regulations throughout April, after which the regulations will be formally adopted, she said.