S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7783
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 21, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. BICHOTTE HERMELYN, JACOBSON, WALKER, GALEF --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
 
 AN ACT relating to permitting video-conferencing of,  and  proxy  voting
   at,  political party meetings, conventions and caucuses; and providing
   for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law or a party committee's
 rules to the contrary:
   (a)  any party caucus, party meeting or party convention held pursuant
 to the election law in the year 2021 may  be  held  by  means  of  video
 conferencing  in  whole or in part, at the discretion of the chairperson
 calling such meeting; provided, however, that any required notice  shall
 include  instructions  to  participants  as  to how to access such video
 conference;
   (b) proxy voting at any party caucus, party meeting or  party  conven-
 tion held pursuant to the election law in the year 2021 shall be permit-
 ted.   Except where a greater number is permitted by a party committee's
 rules, any person eligible to attend and vote at such a caucus,  meeting
 or convention may hold up to ten proxies or a number of proxies equaling
 the  number  of members or delegates contained in the member's or deleg-
 ate's assembly district, whichever is less. A proxy statement may be  in
 the form prescribed by the party committee's rules or as accepted in the
 past  by  the  party  entity  or  may be substantially as follows: "I, a
 member or eligible voter of (insert party caucus, party meeting or party
 convention), do hereby give my proxy authorization to  (insert  name  of
 proxy holder) who shall be authorized to vote in my stead at the (insert
 party  caucus,  party meeting or party convention) to be held on (insert
 date) and any adjourned date thereof." Any proxy granted hereunder shall
 be revocable in a writing provided to the  secretary  or  chair  of  the

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11583-02-1
              

 A. 7783                             2
 
 party  entity  or  by the attendance of the proxy grantor at the caucus,
 meeting or convention stated; and
   (c)  a  delegate to a judicial convention may give his or her proxy to
 any delegate or alternate delegate in the same judicial district.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed December 31, 2021.