S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4581
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. SILLITTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Election Law
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to establishing the misde-
   meanor of interfering in the election process by electronic means
 
   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  17-158
 to read as follows:
   § 17-158. INTERFERING IN THE ELECTION PROCESS BY ELECTRONIC MEANS. ANY
 PERSON  WHO, WITH INTENT TO INTERFERE WITH AN ELECTION, PLACES OR CAUSES
 TO BE PLACED, MULTIPLE CALLS BY TELEPHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS,  OR
 SENDS  OR  CAUSES  TO  BE  SENT,  MULTIPLE MESSAGES BY TEXT, EMAIL, FAX,
 COMPUTER APPLICATION, TABLET APPLICATION, TELEPHONE APPLICATION OR OTHER
 ELECTRONIC MEANS, OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF, TO  OBSTRUCT,  PREVENT  OR
 INTERFERE WITH:
   1. THE REPORTING OF POLL RESULTS BY ANY POLLING PLACE;
   2. THE RECEIPT OF POLL RESULTS BY A LOCAL OR STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS;
   3.  THE ABILITY OF A POLITICAL OR PARTY ORGANIZATION TO PLACE CALLS OR
 SEND MESSAGES USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO VOTE; OR
   4. THE ABILITY OF A POLITICAL OR PARTY ORGANIZATION TO PLACE CALLS  OR
 SEND  MESSAGES  USED  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF ARRANGING TRANSPORTATION FOR
 PEOPLE TO OR FROM THEIR POLLING PLACE, IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03323-01-1