S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8717
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             October 23, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BUCHWALD -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Education
 
 AN  ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a school
   voter registration access program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 25 to
 read as follows:
                                 ARTICLE 25
                     SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION ACCESS
 SECTION 1301. SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION ACCESS.
   § 1301. SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION ACCESS. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT,  BOARD
 OF  COOPERATIVE  EDUCATIONAL  SERVICES,  CHARTER  SCHOOL, AND NON-PUBLIC
 SCHOOL SHALL ADOPT A POLICY TO PROMOTE STUDENT  VOTER  REGISTRATION  AND
 PRE-REGISTRATION  PURSUANT  TO  CHAPTER  TWO OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND
 NINETEEN. SUCH POLICY SHALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS  OF  THIS
 ARTICLE,  REQUIRE  ALL SCHOOLS OPERATED BY SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BOARDS
 OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES,  CHARTER  SCHOOLS,  AND  NON-PUBLIC
 SCHOOLS  SERVING  ANY  OR  ALL OF GRADES TEN, ELEVEN, AND TWELVE TO MAKE
 AVAILABLE ACCESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND PRE-REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS
 DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATING STUDENTS ABOUT  THE
 VOTING  ENROLLMENT  PROCESS  AND  PROVIDING  ELIGIBLE  STUDENTS WITH THE
 OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER OR PRE-REGISTER  TO  VOTE  AS  APPLICABLE.  SUCH
 POLICY  SHALL  INCLUDE  PROCEDURES  FOR ACQUIRING AND TRANSMITTING VOTER
 REGISTRATION AND PRE-REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS TO  AND  FROM  THE  LOCAL
 BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS  AND DISSEMINATION AMONG THEIR APPROPRIATE SCHOOLS,
 METHODS OF REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH ELIGIBLE STUDENTS  ON  THE  AVAIL-
 ABILITY OF SUCH APPLICATIONS AND THEIR RIGHT TO REGISTER OR PRE-REGISTER
 TO VOTE AND MAY INCLUDE COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL BOARDS OF ELECTIONS AND
 OUTSIDE  ORGANIZATIONS  TO ASSIST IN MAKING AVAILABLE VOTER REGISTRATION
 AND PRE-REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS IN ANY SCHOOL SERVING ANY  OR  ALL  OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              
             
                          
                                                                            LBD09318-12-9
 A. 8717                             2
 
 GRADES  TEN,  ELEVEN,  AND  TWELVE.  COMPLETION  AND SUBMISSION OF VOTER
 REGISTRATION OR PRE-REGISTRATION FORMS SHALL NOT BE A COURSE REQUIREMENT
 OR GRADED ASSIGNMENT FOR STUDENTS.   LOCAL  BOARDS  OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL
 COMPLY WITH REQUESTS FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCA-
 TIONAL SERVICES, CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO TRANSMIT THE
 REQUESTED  NUMBER  OF  REGISTRATION AND PRE-REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS IN
 SUCH MANNER AS REQUESTED.
   § 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.   Effective  immediately
 the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
 authorized to be made on or before such date.