S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2568
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 26, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, COLTON -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to designating additional
participating agencies for purposes of agency assisted voter registra-
tion
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of section 5-211 of the election law,
as amended by section 7 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
amended to read as follows:
Each agency designated as a participating agency under the provisions
of this section shall implement and administer a program of distribution
of voter registration forms pursuant to the provisions of this section.
The following offices which provide public assistance and/or provide
state funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons
with disabilities are hereby designated as voter registration agencies:
designated as the state agencies which provide public assistance are the
office of children and family services, the office of temporary and
disability assistance and the department of health. Also designated as
public assistance agencies are all agencies of local government that
provide such assistance. Designated as state agencies that provide
programs primarily engaged in providing services to people with disabil-
ities are the department of labor, office for the aging, department of
veterans' services, office of mental health, office of vocational and
educational services for individuals with disabilities, commission on
quality of care for the mentally disabled, office for people with devel-
opmental disabilities, commission for the blind, office of addiction
services and supports, the office of the advocate for the disabled and
all offices which administer programs established or funded by such
agencies. Additional participating agencies designated as voter regis-
tration offices are the department of state and the district offices of
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05171-01-3
A. 2568 2
the workers' compensation board. Such agencies shall be required to
offer voter registration forms to persons upon initial application for
services, renewal or recertification for services and upon change of
address relating to such services. Such agencies shall also be responsi-
ble for providing assistance to applicants in completing voter registra-
tion forms, receiving and transmitting the completed application form
from all applicants who wish to have such form transmitted to the appro-
priate board of elections. The state board of elections shall, together
with representatives of the United States department of defense, develop
and implement procedures for including recruitment offices of the armed
forces of the United States as voter registration offices when such
offices are so designated by federal law. The state board of elections
shall also make request of the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services to include applications for registration by mail with any mate-
rials which are given to new citizens. ALSO DESIGNATED AS PARTICIPATING
AGENCIES ARE ALL PUBLIC LIBRARIES, WHICH SHALL BE REQUIRED TO OFFER
VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS TO PERSONS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER UPON
INITIAL APPLICATION FOR A LIBRARY CARD. ALSO DESIGNATED AS PARTICIPATING
AGENCIES ARE ALL LOCAL HOUSING AUTHORITIES, WHICH SHALL BE REQUIRED TO
OFFER VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS TO PERSONS UPON INITIAL APPLICATION FOR
SERVICES OR RECERTIFICATION FOR SERVICES. ALSO DESIGNATED AS PARTICIPAT-
ING AGENCIES ARE ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS, WHICH SHALL BE REQUIRED TO
OFFER VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS TO ALL SENIORS UPON THEIR GRADUATION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however, that if part PP of chap-
ter 56 of the laws of 2022 shall not have taken effect on or before such
date then section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and
in the same manner as such chapter of the laws of 2022 takes effect.
Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
tive date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.