NY State Senate Bill 2015-S5085

Senate Bill S5085

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Provides that absentee ballots for all elections shall be made available in Braille, upon request of a blind or visually impaired voter

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules 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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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 17, 2016	committed to rules
May 11, 2016	advanced to third reading
May 10, 2016	2nd report cal.
May 09, 2016	1st report cal.727
Jan 06, 2016	referred to elections
Apr 30, 2015	referred to elections

Votes

- May 9, 2016 - Elections Committee Vote
  S5085
  
  7
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Elections Committee Vote: May 9, 2016
      
      aye (7)
      
      Akshar
      
      Amedore
      
      Avella
      
      Comrie
      
      Dilan
      
      Gallivan
      
      Marchione
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Krueger
      
      excused (1)
      
      Nozzolio

co-Sponsors

2015-S5085 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2104
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Election Law
Laws Affected:: Add §7-107, El L; add §2022-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: A8815
2017-2018: S4786, S8775, A4961
2019-2020: S3447, A4247
2021-2022: S4210

2015-S5085 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides that absentee ballots for all elections shall be made available in Braille and large print, upon request of a blind or visually impaired voter no less than 30 days prior to each election day.

2015-S5085 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S5085

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the election law and the education
law, in relation to making absentee ballots available in Braille and
large-print

PURPOSE:  To allow blind or visually impaired individuals access to
absentee ballots printed in Braille and large-print.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new section 7-107 to the election law requiring that
absentee ballots printed in Braille and large-print be made available
upon the request of any registered voter who is blind or visually
impaired and that persons wishing to receive such ballots must give
notice to the board of elections no less than 30 days prior to each
election day. This section also gives the state board of elections
(SBOE) the task of promulgating rules for the preparation,
distribution, casting and canvassing of such ballots; directs that
such rules be developed in consultation with state disability advocacy
groups; defines Braille and large-print for the purposes of this
section; and provides proof reading standards for the ballots.

Section 2 adds a new section 2022-a to the education law that states
absentee ballots printed in Braille and large-print shall be made
available upon request of any registered voter who is blind or

visually impaired. Those wishing to receive such ballots must give
notice no less than thirty days prior to each election day. The
commissioner in consultation with the SBOE are to promulgate rules for
the preparation, distribution, casting and canvass of these ballots;
directs that such rules be developed in consultation with the SBOE and
state disability advocacy groups; defines Braille and large-print for
the purposes of this section; and provides proof reading standards for
the ballots.

Section 3 is the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:  This act will enable blind and visually impaired
persons to request and receive Braille or large-print absentee
ballots. While the adoption and implementation of technologically
advanced ballot marking devices with optical scanners has marked a new
milestone for accessibility of in-person voting for individuals with
disabilities, currently, blind or visually impaired people must have
someone assist them in filling out absentee ballots because such
ballots are not produced in accessible formats. The present situation
interferes with the rights of blind or visually impaired people to
vote independently.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New Bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  There will be costs associated with the
production of the Braille and large print ballots.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect on the first of December
next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law;
provided, however that effective immediately, the addition, amendment
and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the


implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be
made on or before such effective date.

2015-S5085 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  5085

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             April 30, 2015
                               ___________

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

AN ACT to amend the election law and the education law, in  relation  to
  making absentee ballots available in Braille and large-print

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

  Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new  section  7-107
to read as follows:
  S 7-107. ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT TO BE MADE AVAIL-
ABLE.    1. ABSENTEE BALLOTS PRINTED IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT SHALL BE
MADE AVAILABLE UPON THE REQUEST OF ANY REGISTERED VOTER WHO IS BLIND  OR
VISUALLY  IMPAIRED.    PERSONS WISHING TO RECEIVE BRAILLE OR LARGE-PRINT
ABSENTEE BALLOTS MUST GIVE NOTICE THEREOF TO THE BOARD OF  ELECTIONS  NO
LESS  THAN THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO EACH ELECTION DAY TO ENABLE THE BOARD TO
PREPARE AND DISTRIBUTE SUCH BALLOTS.
  2. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL PROMULGATE RULES FOR THE  PREPA-
RATION,  DISTRIBUTION,  CASTING,  AND CANVASS OF BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.   THE STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL  DEVELOP  THE
INITIAL  FORMAT FOR BOTH BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT BALLOTS IN CONSULTATION
WITH AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE  IN  THE
FIELD  OF ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SUCH OTHER APPROPRI-
ATE PERSONS, GROUPS, ENTITIES OR ORGANIZATIONS AS  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF
ELECTIONS  SHALL  DETERMINE.  FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION, "BRAILLE"
REFERS TO GRADE TWO BRAILLE AND "LARGE-PRINT" REFERS TO A FONT OF  EIGH-
TEEN  POINT OR LARGER.  UPON THE PRINTING OF A BRAILLE BALLOT, THE BOARD
OF ELECTIONS SHALL REQUIRE SUCH BRAILLE BALLOT  TO  BE  PROOFREAD  BY  A
QUALIFIED  BRAILLE READER.  THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL ESTABLISH
THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR A BRAILLE BALLOT PROOFREADER IN CONSULTA-
TION WITH AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE  IN
THE FIELD OF ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SUCH OTHER APPRO-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01472-03-5

S. 5085                             2

PRIATE  PERSONS,  GROUPS,  ENTITIES OR ORGANIZATIONS AS SUCH BOARD SHALL
DETERMINE.
  S  2.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 2022-a to
read as follows:
  S 2022-A. BALLOTS IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT TO BE MADE AVAILABLE.  1.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS PRINTED IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT SHALL BE MADE AVAIL-
ABLE  UPON  THE REQUEST OF ANY REGISTERED VOTER WHO IS BLIND OR VISUALLY
IMPAIRED. PERSONS WISHING TO RECEIVE BRAILLE  AND  LARGE-PRINT  ABSENTEE
BALLOTS  MUST GIVE NOTICE THEREOF NO LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO EACH
ELECTION DAY TO ENABLE PREPARATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH BALLOTS.
  2.  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  STATE  BOARD   OF
ELECTIONS,  SHALL  PROMULGATE  RULES  FOR THE PREPARATION, DISTRIBUTION,
CASTING, AND CANVASS OF BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT  ABSENTEE  BALLOTS.  THE
DEPARTMENT  SHALL DEVELOP THE INITIAL FORMAT FOR BOTH BRAILLE AND LARGE-
PRINT BALLOTS IN CONSULTATION WITH AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE  ORGAN-
IZATIONS  WITH  EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD OF ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISA-
BILITIES  AND  SUCH  OTHER  APPROPRIATE  PERSONS,  GROUPS,  ENTITIES  OR
ORGANIZATIONS  AS  SUCH  BOARD SHALL DETERMINE. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
SECTION, "BRAILLE" REFERS TO GRADE TWO BRAILLE AND "LARGE-PRINT"  REFERS
TO  A  FONT  OF EIGHTEEN POINT OR LARGER. UPON THE PRINTING OF A BRAILLE
BALLOT, SUCH BRAILLE BALLOT SHALL BE PROOFREAD BY  A  QUALIFIED  BRAILLE
READER.  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR A
BRAILLE BALLOT PROOFREADER IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF
ELECTIONS AND AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE
IN  THE  FIELD  OF  ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SUCH OTHER
APPROPRIATE PERSONS, GROUPS, ENTITIES OR ORGANIZATIONS AS  SUCH  DEPART-
MENT SHALL DETERMINE.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the first of December next succeed-
ing  the  date on which it shall have become a law; provided that effec-
tive immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any  rule  or
regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective
date are authorized to be made on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S5085

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Sponsored By

Joseph A. Griffo