Assembly Bill A9014

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9014
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 12, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Election Law
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  election law, in relation to authorizing online
   facilitation of voter registration
 
   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 5-205
 to read as follows:
   § 5-205. ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION. A. THE STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS
 SHALL  PROVIDE  A  SECURE WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION THAT ALLOWS ANY
 INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIED TO VOTE IN THE STATE TO  CONFIDENTIALLY  SUBMIT  TO
 HIS  OR  HER  COUNTY  BOARD OF ELECTIONS THROUGH SUCH WEBSITE AND MOBILE
 APPLICATION THE INFORMATION COLLECTED ON A VOTER  REGISTRATION  APPLICA-
 TION  FORM  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION 5-210 OF THIS TITLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF
 REGISTERING TO VOTE OR UPDATING SUCH  INDIVIDUAL'S  VOTER  REGISTRATION.
 SUCH WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION SHALL ALLOW SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO ELEC-
 TRONICALLY PROVIDE A SIGNATURE OF A QUALITY AND LIKENESS COMPARABLE TO A
 SIGNATURE  WRITTEN  WITH  INK,  CONSISTENT  WITH  SUBDIVISION  C OF THIS
 SECTION. THE WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION SHALL ALSO ALLOW SUCH  INDI-
 VIDUAL  TO VIEW THE NOTICES CONTAINED ON OR ACCOMPANYING A PRINTED VOTER
 REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM.
   B. SUCH WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION SHALL  ALSO  CONSPICUOUSLY  SET
 FORTH  INFORMATION  CONCERNING THE TIMEFRAMES AND DEADLINES FOR APPLYING
 TO REGISTER TO VOTE OR UPDATING REGISTRATION, TO ASSIST SUCH  INDIVIDUAL
 IN  ASCERTAINING WHETHER THE REGISTRATION OR UPDATE WILL TAKE EFFECT FOR
 THE NEXT ELECTION.  SUCH  WEBSITE  AND  MOBILE  APPLICATION  SHALL  ALSO
 CONSPICUOUSLY  SET  FORTH INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW A VOTER MAY CONFIRM
 HIS OR HER REGISTRATION INFORMATION.
   C. THE WEBSITE  AND  MOBILE  APPLICATION  PROVIDED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 SECTION SHALL PERMIT THE SUBMISSION OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S SIGNATURE THROUGH
 ONE OR MORE METHODS DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO RESULT
 IN A SIGNATURE OF A QUALITY AND LIKENESS COMPARABLE TO A SIGNATURE WRIT-
 TEN  WITH  INK. METHODS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
 SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: (I) THE UPLOADING OF AN ELECTRONIC
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13996-02-7

 A. 9014                             2
 
 FILE; AND (II) DIRECT INPUT THROUGH A  TOUCH  OR  STYLUS  INTERFACE.  IN
 ADDITION TO ANY OTHER METHOD OR METHODS UTILIZED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDI-
 VISION, A COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAY, WITH THE CONSENT OF AN INDIVID-
 UAL,  UTILIZE  A  SIGNATURE PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED BY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO AN
 AGENCY OR TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, IF THE  COUNTY  BOARD  OF
 ELECTIONS  DETERMINES  THAT  SUCH SIGNATURE OTHERWISE MEETS THE REQUIRE-
 MENTS OF THIS SECTION AND MAY BE USED CONSISTENT WITH THE APPLICABLE LAW
 GOVERNING THE USE OF THE SIGNATURE PROVIDED.
   D. TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE AND CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIVACY OF USERS,
 DATA SECURITY AND APPLICABLE LAW, THE STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL
 MAKE  AVAILABLE  TO  THE PUBLIC A WEB APPLICATION PROGRAM INTERFACE THAT
 PERMITS PROGRAMS APPROVED BY  SUCH  BOARD  TO  DIRECTLY  TRANSMIT  VOTER
 REGISTRATION  APPLICATION  FORM  INFORMATION TO SUCH BOARD AND TO COUNTY
 BOARDS OF ELECTION IN A MANNER EQUIVALENT TO THE  SUBMISSION  AUTHORIZED
 BY SUBDIVISION A OF THIS SECTION.
   §  2.  The  opening  paragraph  of  paragraph  (b) of subdivision 4 of
 section 3-212 of the election law, as amended by chapter 79 of the  laws
 of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
   Said  annual report, as required by paragraph (a) of this subdivision,
 shall include a detailed description of existing  programs  designed  to
 enhance  voter  registration, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF VOTER REGISTRATION
 APPLICATION FORMS RECEIVED AND TRANSMITTED TO THE NEW YORK  STATE  BOARD
 OF  ELECTIONS  DURING  THE  PRECEDING  CALENDAR YEAR PURSUANT TO SECTION
 5-205 OF THIS CHAPTER, BOTH IN TOTAL AND DISAGGREGATED FOR  THE  WEBSITE
 AND  MOBILE APPLICATION.  Such report shall include a voter registration
 action plan which details the various activities and  programs  of  each
 board,  including  a  description of those steps which shall be taken in
 the future to increase registration opportunities, especially for  those
 identifiable  groups  of  persons  historically  underrepresented on the
 rolls of registered voters; and coordinate voter education programs with
 school districts, colleges and universities within the board's jurisdic-
 tion including voter registration of qualified applicants  and  instruc-
 tional  or  extracurricular  activities  promoting  participation in the
 electoral process.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
 ly, 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 by the New York state board  of  elections  on  or
 before such effective date.