University at Buffalo (UB)
Interior of the Council Chamber at Buffalo City Hall
New York State Law and Local Policy Institute
(Taken from New York Law School) The Legislative Advocacy Clinic challenges students to conceptualize, plan, and implement a campaign to pass social justice legislation in the New York City Council. Working with the New York Civil Liberties Union, students research relevant statutes and case law, draft legislation, and develop and implement an advocacy campaign to enact a bill.
Bernadette Gargano
Director
University at Buffalo School of Law
Daniel Ortega
Assistant Director
University at Buffalo School of Law
- Office of the Governor of New York State
- https://www.governor.ny.gov/
- Official site of the Governor, including executive actions, policy initiatives, budget proposals, and agency priorities.
- New York State Division of the Budget
- https://www.budget.ny.gov/
- Provides detailed information on the State budget, fiscal analyses, and financial planning documents.
- New York State Office of Policy and Research
- https://opr.ny.gov/
- Coordinates statewide policy development, land use planning, and intergovernmental research initiatives.
- New York State Attorney General
- https://ag.ny.gov/
- Contains legal opinions, enforcement actions, and policy guidance affecting state and local governments.
- New York State Comptroller
- https://www.osc.ny.gov/
- Offers audits, fiscal oversight, pension data, and financial reports for state and local entities.
- New York State Department of State (DOS)
- https://dos.ny.gov/
- Oversees rulemaking, municipal services, local government guidance, and regulatory filings.
- New York State Senate
- https://www.nysenate.gov/
- Provides access to Senate legislation, committee activity, voting records, and legislative calendars.
- New York State Assembly
- https://nyassembly.gov/
- Includes Assembly bills, member information, committee hearings, and legislative reports.
- NYS Constitution
- https://www.nysenate.gov/new-york-state-constitution
- The Constitution of the State of New York
- New York State Legislative Bill Search & Tracking
- https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?sh=billsearch
- Search and track proposed and enacted legislation across both houses of the State Legislature.
- New York State Legislative Library
- https://legislativelibrary.ny.gov/research-resources-z
- Central repository for legislative histories, session laws, bill jackets, and research materials.
- NY State Open Legislation
- https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation
- Provides free public access to the full statutory text of New York laws and bills.
- New York Unified Court System
- https://nycourts.gov/
- Official portal for New York’s court system, including rules, administrative orders, and case information.
- New York State Law Reporting Bureau
- https://nycourts.gov/reporter/
- Publishes official court opinions, judicial decisions, and legal research tools.
- New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR)
- https://dos.ny.gov/new-york-codes-rules-and-regulations
- Contains the official compilation of State agency regulations.
- New York State Register
- https://dos.ny.gov/state-register
- Weekly publication of proposed and adopted regulations, executive orders, and notices.
- Erie County Legislature
- https://www4.erie.gov/legislature/
- Provides access to local laws, resolutions, committee meetings, and legislative agendas.
- Erie County Executive
- https://www4.erie.gov/exec/
- Contains county-level executive initiatives, policy priorities, and administrative announcements.
- Erie County Departments & Agencies
- https://www4.erie.gov/departments
- Directory of county agencies responsible for public services, regulation, and administration.
- Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority (ECFSA)
- https://www.ecfsa.org/
- Oversees and reports on Erie County’s fiscal health and financial planning.
- City of Buffalo – Official Government Portal
- https://www.buffalony.gov/
- Central access point for city departments, services, local laws, and municipal programs.
- Office of the Mayor of Buffalo
- https://www.buffalony.gov/490/Mayor
- Highlights executive leadership, policy initiatives, proclamations, and citywide priorities.
- Buffalo Common Council
- https://www.buffalony.gov/362/Common-Council
- Legislative body of the City of Buffalo, including ordinances, resolutions, and committee actions.
- Buffalo City Charter & Code
- https://ecode360.com/BU0100
- Provides the official municipal charter, local laws, and administrative code.
- Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning
- https://www.buffalony.gov/689/Strategic-Planning
- Focuses on land use, zoning, development policy, and long-term planning initiatives.
- New York State Open Data Portal
- https://data.ny.gov/
- Offers publicly available datasets to support research, analysis, and evidence-based policymaking.
- Open Budget NY
- https://openbudget.ny.gov/
- Allows interactive exploration of State spending, revenues, and economic data.
- Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board – EMMA
- https://emma.msrb.org/
- Provides access to municipal bond disclosures and local government financial documents.
- U.S. Census Bureau – State & Local Data
- https://www.census.gov/data.html
- Source for demographic, economic, and housing data used in policy development.
- New York State Conference of Mayors (NYCOM)
- https://www.nycom.org/
- Represents cities and villages and provides policy advocacy and municipal research.
- New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC)
- https://www.nysac.org/
- Policy and advocacy organization representing New York’s county governments.
- Municipal Art Society of New York
- https://www.mas.org/
- Conducts research and advocacy on urban planning, design, and land-use policy.
- Empire Center for Public Policy
- https://www.empirecenter.org/
- Independent think tank focused on New York State fiscal and governmental policy.
- Citizens Budget Commission
- https://cbcny.org/
- Provides nonpartisan analysis of New York State and local government finances.
- U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
- https://www.gao.gov/
- Produces audits and evaluations relevant to federal, state, and local policy implementation.
- Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports
- https://crsreports.congress.gov/
- Offers nonpartisan policy analysis on federal issues affecting states and municipalities.
- Federal Register
- https://www.federalregister.gov/
- Daily publication of federal agency rules, proposed regulations, and notices impacting state and local governments.