S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5829--A
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 26, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WALLACE, McDONALD, CONRAD, McMAHON, COLTON,
SEAWRIGHT, DARLING, GALEF, DINOWITZ, GUNTHER, ZINERMAN, THIELE, SIMON,
STECK, JACOBSON, SILLITTI, HEVESI, SEPTIMO, JACKSON, FORREST -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Education -- recommitted to the
Committee on Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 --
committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
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,
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02646-06-1
A. 5829--A 2
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
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 on the first of July next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately 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 on or before such date.