Senate Bill S5758A

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Prohibits deceptive practices and the suppression of voters, and increases penalties for violations of the elective franchise

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions

Bill Amendments

2019-S5758 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A7972
Current Committee:
Senate Elections
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §§17-151 & 17-153, amd §17-166, El L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2009-2010: S2554, A9250
2011-2012: S1009, A5915
2013-2014: S676, A2627
2015-2016: S2352, A5841
2017-2018: S2952, A3122
2021-2022: S1032, A9555
2023-2024: S263, A8608

2019-S5758 - Summary

Makes the suppression of voters a civil violation.

2019-S5758 - Sponsor Memo

2019-S5758 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5758
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 14, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  STEWART-COUSINS -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 
 AN ACT to amend  the  election  law,  in  relation  to  prohibiting  the
   suppression of voters
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "deceptive
 practices and voter suppression prevention act".
   § 2. The election law is amended by adding a  new  section  17-151  to
 read as follows:
   §  17-151.  DECEPTIVE PRACTICES.   1. ANY PERSON, POLITICAL COMMITTEE,
 LABOR ORGANIZATION, CORPORATION, OR OTHER ENTITY, WHETHER  ACTING  UNDER
 COLOR OF LAW OR OTHERWISE, WHO KNOWINGLY COMMUNICATES OR KNOWINGLY CAUS-
 ES TO BE COMMUNICATED DECEPTIVE INFORMATION, KNOWING SUCH INFORMATION TO
 BE  FALSE  AND,  IN  ACTING  IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED, PREVENTS OR DETERS
 ANOTHER PERSON FROM EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO VOTE  IN  ANY  ELECTION,  IS
 GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR.
   2.  THE  FOLLOWING  DEFINITIONS  ARE  APPLICABLE  TO THIS SECTION: (A)
 "DECEPTIVE INFORMATION" MEANS FALSE INFORMATION REGARDING: (I) THE TIME,
 PLACE, OR MANNER  OF  ANY  ELECTION;  (II)  THE  QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  OR
 RESTRICTIONS ON VOTER ELIGIBILITY FOR ANY ELECTION, INCLUDING ANY PENAL-
 TIES  ASSOCIATED  WITH  VOTING  BY  INELIGIBLE VOTERS; (III) INFORMATION
 REGARDING A VOTER'S REGISTRATION STATUS  OR  ELIGIBILITY;  OR  (IV)  THE
 POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION OF ANY CANDIDATE; AND
   (B) "ELECTION" AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE DEEMED TO APPLY TO AND
 INCLUDE  ALL  ELECTIONS  ADMINISTERED  BY  THE STATE OR CITY OF NEW YORK
 BOARDS OF ELECTIONS, OR ANY COUNTY BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS,  INCLUDING  ANY
 GENERAL,  PRIMARY,  RUN-OFF,  OR SPECIAL ELECTION FOR ANY STATE OR LOCAL
 OFFICE OR BALLOT PROPOSITION.
   3. ANY PERSON AGGRIEVED BY A VIOLATION  OF  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  THIS
 SECTION  MAY  INSTITUTE  A  CIVIL  ACTION OR OTHER PROPER PROCEEDING FOR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2019-S5758A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A7972
Current Committee:
Senate Elections
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §§17-151 & 17-153, amd §17-166, El L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2009-2010: S2554, A9250
2011-2012: S1009, A5915
2013-2014: S676, A2627
2015-2016: S2352, A5841
2017-2018: S2952, A3122
2021-2022: S1032, A9555
2023-2024: S263, A8608

2019-S5758A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Makes the suppression of voters a civil violation.

2019-S5758A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2019-S5758A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5758--A
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 14, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  STEWART-COUSINS -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Elections  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend  the  election  law,  in  relation  to  prohibiting  the
   suppression of voters

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "deceptive
 practices and voter suppression prevention act".
   § 2. The election law is amended by adding a  new  section  17-151  to
 read as follows:
   §  17-151.  DECEPTIVE PRACTICES.   1. ANY PERSON, POLITICAL COMMITTEE,
 LABOR ORGANIZATION, CORPORATION, OR OTHER ENTITY, WHETHER  ACTING  UNDER
 COLOR OF LAW OR OTHERWISE, WHO KNOWINGLY COMMUNICATES OR KNOWINGLY CAUS-
 ES TO BE COMMUNICATED DECEPTIVE INFORMATION, KNOWING SUCH INFORMATION TO
 BE  FALSE  AND,  IN  ACTING  IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED, PREVENTS OR DETERS
 ANOTHER PERSON FROM EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO VOTE  IN  ANY  ELECTION,  IS
 GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR.
   2.  THE  FOLLOWING  DEFINITIONS  ARE  APPLICABLE  TO THIS SECTION: (A)
 "DECEPTIVE INFORMATION" MEANS FALSE INFORMATION REGARDING: (I) THE TIME,
 PLACE, OR MANNER  OF  ANY  ELECTION;  (II)  THE  QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  OR
 RESTRICTIONS ON VOTER ELIGIBILITY FOR ANY ELECTION, INCLUDING ANY PENAL-
 TIES  ASSOCIATED  WITH  VOTING  BY  INELIGIBLE VOTERS; (III) INFORMATION
 REGARDING A VOTER'S REGISTRATION STATUS  OR  ELIGIBILITY;  OR  (IV)  THE
 POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION OF ANY CANDIDATE; AND
   (B) "ELECTION" AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE DEEMED TO APPLY TO AND
 INCLUDE  ALL  ELECTIONS  ADMINISTERED  BY  THE STATE OR CITY OF NEW YORK
 BOARDS OF ELECTIONS, OR ANY COUNTY BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS,  INCLUDING  ANY
 GENERAL,  PRIMARY,  RUN-OFF,  OR SPECIAL ELECTION FOR ANY STATE OR LOCAL
 OFFICE OR BALLOT PROPOSITION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.