S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7784
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 15, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Election Law
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law,  in  relation  to  authorizing  online
   facilitation of voter registration
 
   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  5-205
 to read as follows:
   §  5-205.  ONLINE  VOTER REGISTRATION. A. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
 SHALL PROVIDE A SECURE WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION  THAT  ALLOWS  ANY
 INDIVIDUAL  QUALIFIED  TO  VOTE IN THE STATE TO CONFIDENTIALLY SUBMIT TO
 HIS OR HER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS THROUGH  SUCH  WEBSITE  AND  MOBILE
 APPLICATION  THE  INFORMATION COLLECTED ON A VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICA-
 TION FORM PURSUANT TO SECTION 5-210 OF THIS TITLE  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF
 REGISTERING  TO  VOTE  OR UPDATING SUCH INDIVIDUAL'S VOTER REGISTRATION.
 SUCH WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION SHALL ALLOW SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO ELEC-
 TRONICALLY PROVIDE A SIGNATURE OF A QUALITY AND LIKENESS COMPARABLE TO A
 SIGNATURE WRITTEN WITH  INK,  CONSISTENT  WITH  SUBDIVISION  C  OF  THIS
 SECTION.  THE WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION SHALL ALSO ALLOW SUCH INDI-
 VIDUAL TO VIEW THE NOTICES CONTAINED ON OR ACCOMPANYING A PRINTED  VOTER
 REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM.
   B.  SUCH  WEBSITE  AND MOBILE APPLICATION SHALL ALSO CONSPICUOUSLY SET
 FORTH INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TIMEFRAMES AND DEADLINES  FOR  APPLYING
 TO  REGISTER TO VOTE OR UPDATING REGISTRATION, TO ASSIST SUCH INDIVIDUAL
 IN ASCERTAINING WHETHER THE REGISTRATION OR UPDATE WILL TAKE EFFECT  FOR
 THE  NEXT  ELECTION.  SUCH  WEBSITE  AND  MOBILE  APPLICATION SHALL ALSO
 CONSPICUOUSLY SET FORTH INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW A VOTER  MAY  CONFIRM
 HIS OR HER REGISTRATION INFORMATION.
   C.  THE  WEBSITE  AND  MOBILE  APPLICATION  PROVIDED  PURSUANT TO THIS
 SECTION SHALL PERMIT THE SUBMISSION OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S SIGNATURE THROUGH
 ONE OR MORE METHODS DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO RESULT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11307-01-3
              

 A. 7784                             2
 
 IN A SIGNATURE OF A QUALITY AND LIKENESS COMPARABLE TO A SIGNATURE WRIT-
 TEN WITH INK. METHODS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE STATE BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS
 SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: (I) THE UPLOADING OF AN ELECTRONIC
 FILE;  AND  (II)  DIRECT  INPUT  THROUGH A TOUCH OR STYLUS INTERFACE. IN
 ADDITION TO ANY OTHER METHOD OR METHODS UTILIZED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDI-
 VISION, A COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAY, WITH THE CONSENT OF AN INDIVID-
 UAL, UTILIZE A SIGNATURE PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED BY SUCH  INDIVIDUAL  TO  AN
 AGENCY  OR  TO  THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, IF THE COUNTY BOARD OF
 ELECTIONS DETERMINES THAT SUCH SIGNATURE OTHERWISE  MEETS  THE  REQUIRE-
 MENTS OF THIS SECTION AND MAY BE USED CONSISTENT WITH THE APPLICABLE LAW
 GOVERNING THE USE OF THE SIGNATURE PROVIDED.
   D. TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE AND CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIVACY OF USERS,
 DATA  SECURITY  AND  APPLICABLE  LAW, THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL
 MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC A WEB APPLICATION  PROGRAM  INTERFACE  THAT
 PERMITS  PROGRAMS  APPROVED  BY  SUCH  BOARD  TO DIRECTLY TRANSMIT VOTER
 REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORM INFORMATION TO SUCH BOARD  AND  TO  COUNTY
 BOARDS  OF  ELECTION IN A MANNER EQUIVALENT TO THE SUBMISSION AUTHORIZED
 BY SUBDIVISION A OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. The opening paragraph  of  paragraph  (b)  of  subdivision  4  of
 section  3-212 of the election law, as amended by chapter 79 of the laws
 of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
   Said annual report, as required by paragraph (a) of this  subdivision,
 shall  include  a  detailed description of existing programs designed to
 enhance voter registration, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF  VOTER  REGISTRATION
 APPLICATION  FORMS  RECEIVED AND TRANSMITTED TO THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD
 OF ELECTIONS DURING THE PRECEDING  CALENDAR  YEAR  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION
 5-205  OF  THIS CHAPTER, BOTH IN TOTAL AND DISAGGREGATED FOR THE WEBSITE
 AND MOBILE APPLICATION.  Such report shall include a voter  registration
 action  plan  which  details the various activities and programs of each
 board, including a description of those steps which shall  be  taken  in
 the  future to increase registration opportunities, especially for those
 identifiable groups of  persons  historically  underrepresented  on  the
 rolls of registered voters; and coordinate voter education programs with
 school districts, colleges and universities within the board's jurisdic-
 tion  including  voter registration of qualified applicants and instruc-
 tional or extracurricular  activities  promoting  participation  in  the
 electoral process.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.