The Public Authorities Control Board is a little-known entity in New York's state government. 

But the board, which includes representatives of the governor's office as well as the state Legislature, holds a lot of influence over major economic development plans in New York. 

Good-government watchdogs on Tuesday urged the board to adopt some sunlight to their practices. The group Reinvent Albany in a letter to the board's members urged them to make their meeting agendas public and provide a searchable database of meeting materials. 

The information is currently available through a Freedom of Information Law request, which can take weeks to be filled. 

"The public should not have to download information from the website before the materials are taken down," the group wrote in its letter. "Preemptively posting and maintaining all materials online would not only give the public easier access; it would also ease the work of the Division of Budget FOIL officers."

The board's work can often become a matter of public concern as it grants approval for funding deals for projects like a major renovation of Penn Station in New York City. 

A coalition of good-government groups and budget watchdog organizations like the Citizens Budget Commission and Citizens Union supported the push as did progressive groups like the Alliance for Quality Education and New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness. 

"Making agendas and materials available on your website is a common-sense step that will ensure the public has information and tools necessary to understand and track projects which can cost tens of billions of dollars," the group wrote.