S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1803
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 17, 2019
                                ___________
 
 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05224-01-9

 A. 1803                             2
 
 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
 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. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.