NY State Senate Bill 2009-S7546

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 20, 2010	referred to elections

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10217
Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: Election Law
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S3599, A4349
2013-2014: S2976, A3312

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S7546

 TITLE OF BILL :
An act to amend the election law, in relation to allowing parolees the
right to register for and vote at any election


 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :
To allow parollees the right to vote and register for elections.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :
Section 1.  Subdivision 2, 3, and 4 of section 5-106 of the election
law, subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 373 of the laws of 1978 are
amended. The amendments give an individual on parole the right to vote
and register for elections.

 JUSTIFICATION :
The Brennan Center for Justice released a report titled, "Jim Crow in
New York," which traced the history of New York's felony
disenfranchisement law and revealed that its roots are firmly planted
in some of the most discriminatory voting barriers to exist in our
country. The report clarifies that Jim Crow laws were not confined to
the South. In fact, during the 18th century, New York's election laws
clearly followed the national narrative. New York's criminal
disenfranchisement provisions followed a concerted effort to exclude
African Americans from participating in the political process.

Today, the voting bar in our State's constitution is nearly identical
to the one enacted 140 years ago. And these discriminatory laws
continue to have their intended effect, with African-Americans and
Latinos representing 80 percent of those currently disenfranchised in
New York. This bill would remove this shameful barrier from a by-gone
era by restoring the right to vote and register for elections to
persons on parole. with this measure, New York will begin the process
of removing the discriminatory voting barriers established during the
Jim Crow era.

Voting is a right of American citizenship and should not be subject to
governmental caprice. When persons are released on parole they become
members of our communities. By removing their ability to vote, we
prevent these persons from having a say in who represents them in
local, state and federal offices. This legislation would correct this
injustice by restoring their constitutional right to vote.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :
New Bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7546

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             April 20, 2010
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  ADAMS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections

AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to allowing  parolees  the
  right to register for and vote at any election

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Subdivisions 2, 3 and 4 of section 5-106  of  the  election
law,  subdivision  2  as amended by chapter 373 of the laws of 1978, are
amended to read as follows:
  2. No person who has been convicted of a felony pursuant to  the  laws
of  this  state,  shall  have  the  right to register for or vote at any
election unless he shall have been pardoned or restored to the rights of
citizenship by the governor, or his maximum sentence of imprisonment has
expired[, or he has been discharged from parole]. The governor, however,
may attach as a condition to any such pardon a provision that  any  such
person  shall  not  have  the right of suffrage until it shall have been
separately restored to him.
  3. No person who has been convicted in a federal court, of  a  felony,
or  a crime or offense which would constitute a felony under the laws of
this state, shall have the right to register for or vote at any election
unless he shall have been pardoned or restored to the rights of citizen-
ship by the president of the United States, or his maximum  sentence  of
imprisonment has expired[, or he has been discharged from parole].
  4.  No  person  who has been convicted in another state for a crime or
offense which would constitute a felony under the  laws  of  this  state
shall  have  the  right  to register for or vote at any election in this
state unless he shall have been pardoned or restored to  the  rights  of
citizenship by the governor or other appropriate authority of such other
state,  or  his maximum sentence has expired[, or he has been discharged
from parole].
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD16208-01-0

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Senate Bill S7546

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Details

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7546

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Sponsored By

Eric Adams

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Details

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2009-S7546 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments