S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1703
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 16, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HAWLEY, BLANKENBUSH, DiPIETRO, D'URSO, FRIEND,
GIGLIO, LAWRENCE, MORINELLO, NORRIS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
CROUCH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to designating every
government entity which issues licenses to carry, possess, repair and
dispose of firearms as participating agencies for voter registration
form distribution and assistance
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of section 5-211 of the election law,
as amended by chapter 265 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as
follows:
Each agency designated as a participating agency under the provisions
of this section shall implement and administer a program of distribution
of voter registration forms pursuant to the provisions of this section.
The following offices which provide public assistance and/or provide
state funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons
with disabilities are hereby designated as voter registration agencies:
designated as the state agencies which provide public assistance are the
office of children and family services, the office of temporary and
disability assistance and the department of health. Also designated as
public assistance agencies are all agencies of local government that
provide such assistance. Designated as state agencies that provide
programs primarily engaged in providing services to people with disabil-
ities are the department of labor, office for the aging, division of
veterans' affairs, office of mental health, office of vocational and
educational services for individuals with disabilities, commission on
quality of care for the mentally disabled, office [of mental retardation
and] FOR PEOPLE WITH developmental disabilities, commission for the
blind, office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, the office of
the advocate for the disabled and all offices which administer programs
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02402-01-9
A. 1703 2
established or funded by such agencies. Additional [state] PARTICIPATING
agencies designated as voter registration offices are the department of
state [and], the [division] DISTRICT OFFICES of THE workers' compen-
sation BOARD AND EVERY COURT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WHEN SUCH ENTI-
TIES ARE ISSUING LICENSES TO CARRY, POSSESS, REPAIR OR DISPOSE OF
FIREARMS. Such agencies shall be required to offer voter registration
forms to persons upon initial application for services, FOR PARTIC-
IPATION IN ACTIVITIES OR FOR USE OF FACILITIES, AND UPON renewal or
recertification for services and UPON change of address relating to such
services, PARTICIPATION IN ACTIVITIES OR USE OF FACILITIES OF THE
AGENCY. Such agencies shall also be responsible for providing assistance
to applicants in completing voter registration forms, receiving and
transmitting the completed application form from all applicants who wish
to have such form transmitted to the appropriate board of elections. The
state board of elections shall, together with representatives of the
UNITED STATES department of defense, develop and implement procedures
for including recruitment offices of the armed forces of the United
States as voter registration offices when such offices are so designated
by federal law. The state board OF ELECTIONS shall also make request of
the United States [Immigration and Naturalization Service] CITIZENSHIP
AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES to include applications for registration by
mail with any materials which are given to new citizens. All insti-
tutions of the state university of New York and the city university of
New York, shall, at the beginning of the school year, and again in Janu-
ary of a year in which the president of the United States is to be
elected, provide an application for VOTER registration to each student
in each such institution. The state board of elections may, by regu-
lation, grant a waiver from any or all of the requirements of this
section to any office or program of an agency, if it determines that it
is not feasible for such office or program to administer such require-
ment.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day
after it shall have become a law, provided however, that effective imme-
diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regu-
lations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective
date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before
such effective date.