S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7860
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 28, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law and the administrative code of the city
of New York, in relation to allowing certain campaign funds to be used
for disability access services and language interpretation and trans-
lation services
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 14-130 of the election law is amended by adding two
new subdivisions 4-a and 4-b to read as follows:
4-A. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT A CANDIDATE FROM USING
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS TO PAY FOR DISABILITY ACCESS SERVICES, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO CAPTIONING, SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION, ASSISTIVE
LISTENING DEVICE, BRAILLE, LARGE PRINT, COMMUNICATION ACCESS REAL-TIME
TRANSLATION (CART) AND ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.
4-B. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT A CANDIDATE FROM USING
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS TO PAY FOR LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION OR TRANS-
LATION SERVICES.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 14-206 of the election law, as added by
section 4 of part ZZZ of chapter 58 of the laws of 2020, is amended to
read as follows:
1. Public matching funds provided pursuant to this title may be used
only by an authorized committee for expenditures to further the partic-
ipating candidate's nomination for election or election[, including].
SUCH EXPENDITURES MAY INCLUDE paying for debts incurred within one year
prior to an election to further the participating candidate's nomination
for election or election AND PAYING FOR DISABILITY ACCESS SERVICES OR
LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION OR TRANSLATION SERVICES.
§ 3. Section 14-204 of the election law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 6 to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10849-03-1
A. 7860 2
6. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF
PUBLIC FUNDS THAT MAY BE PROVIDED TO A CANDIDATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PAYING FOR DISABILITY ACCESS SERVICES OR LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION OR
TRANSLATION SERVICES.
§ 4. Subparagraphs 12 and 13 of paragraph a of subdivision 21 of
section 3-702 of the administrative code of the city of New York,
subparagraph 12 as amended and subparagraph 13 as added by local law
number 196 of the city of New York for the year 2018, are amended and
two new subparagraphs 14 and 15 are added to read as follows:
12. Expenditures to facilitate, support, or otherwise assist in the
execution or performance of the duties of public office; [and]
13. Childcare services, provided that: (i) the candidate has received
an approved statement of campaign childcare eligibility, pursuant to
subdivision 23 of this section, demonstrating that such services are for
a child or children under thirteen years of age for whom the candidate
is a primary caregiver and that either the need for such services would
not exist but for the campaign or the candidate has experienced a
significant loss of salary or wage earnings that would not have occurred
but for the campaign; and (ii) that expenditures for such services may
only be incurred during the calendar year of the election, and the year
immediately preceding the calendar year of the election, and may not be
incurred after such election is held[.];
14. DISABILITY ACCESS SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CAPTION-
ING, SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION, ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICE, BRAILLE,
LARGE PRINT, COMMUNICATION ACCESS REAL-TIME TRANSLATION (CART) AND
ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES; AND
15. LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES.
§ 5. Section 3-706 of the administrative code of the city of New York
is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. EXPENDITURES MADE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISABILITY ACCESS SERVICES
PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH 14 OR LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION
SERVICES PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH 15 OF PARAGRAPH A OF SECTION 3-702 OF
THIS CHAPTER SHALL NOT BE LIMITED BY THE EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS OF THIS
SECTION.
§ 6. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however that sections two and
three of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
manner as section 4 of part ZZZ of chapter 58 of the laws of 2020, takes
effect. 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 and completed on or before
such effective date.