Electronic Compliance with Reporting Requirements Bill

Electronic Compliance with Reporting Requirements Bill EXPLANATORY NOTE GENERAL POLICY STATEMENT This Bill amends the Public Finance Act 1989 and the Crown Entities Act 2004 to enable public organisations to meet statutory reporting requirements in electronic form. Public organisations in New Zealand have stringent reporting and accountability requirements. Most are required to produce an annual report, a statement of intent, and a statement of performance expectations. These are vital documents in terms of accountability and scrutiny but have a small readership. There is considerable expense involved in producing glossy publications, most copies of which go unopened. In the digital age, it is an anachronism to require printed copies of these documents. This Bill allows all reporting and accountability requirements under the two Acts to be met electronically. CLAUSE BY CLAUSE ANALYSIS Clause 1 is the Title clause. Clause 2 is the commencement clause, and provides for the Bill to come into force on the day after the date on which it receives Royal Assent. AMENDMENTS TO PUBLIC FINANCE ACT 1989 Clause 3 states that the Act being amended is the Public Finance Act 1989 (the principal Act ). Clause 4 inserts new section 45FA to allow the presentation and publication of accountability documents in electronic form. AMENDMENTS TO CROWN ENTITIES ACT 2004 Clause 5 states that the Act being amended is the Crown Entities Act 2004 (the principal Act ). Clause 6 inserts new section 176A to allow the presentation and publication of accountability documents in electronic form. The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows: 1 Title This Act is the Electronic Compliance with Reporting Requirements Act 2018 . 2 Commencement This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent. 3 Principal Act This Part amends the Public Finance Act 1989 (the principal Act ). 4 Section 45FA inserted (Documents may be presented and published electronically) After section 45F, insert: 45FA Documents may be presented and published electronically All requirements for the presentation and publication of documents under this Part may be met by presentation and publication in electronic form. 5 Principal Act This Part amends the Crown Entities Act 2004 (the principal Act ). 6 Section 176A inserted (Documents may be presented and published electronically) After section 176, insert: 176A Documents may be presented and published electronically All requirements for the presentation and publication of documents under this Part may be met by presentation and publication in electronic form.