S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6173
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 31, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law and the vehicle  and  traffic  law,  in
   relation to joining multistate voter list maintenance organizations
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. A  multistate  voter  list
 maintenance  organization  is  a  coordinating entity between the states
 that aids them in removing ineligible voters from their voter rolls. The
 Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) is  a  public  charity
 non-profit membership organization comprising 32 states and the District
 of Columbia. ERIC's purpose is to assist states in improving the accura-
 cy  of America's voter rolls and increasing access to voter registration
 for all eligible citizens. Keeping voter rolls up to date is a challenge
 because, every day, voters move or pass away. Voters don't always remem-
 ber to update their registration. At least every 60  days,  each  member
 submits  their  voter registration data and licensing and identification
 data from departments of motor vehicles (DMV) to ERIC.   ERIC refers  to
 this data as Member Data. ERIC's technical staff uses sophisticated data
 matching  software  to compare Member Data from all member states, some-
 times with data from other sources, to create the following  four  "list
 maintenance"  reports. (1) Cross-State Movers Report:  Identifies voters
 who appear to have moved from one ERIC  state  to  another  using  voter
 registration  data and DMV data; (2) In-State Movers Report:  Identifies
 voters who appear to have moved within the state using  voter  registra-
 tion  and department of motor vehicle data; (3) Duplicate Report:  Iden-
 tifies voters with duplicate registrations in the same state using voter
 registration data; and (4) Deceased Report: Identifies voters  who  have
 died  using voter registration data and Social Security death data known
 as the Limited Access Death Master File. As the official record  of  all
 eligible  voters  in a state, a state's voter registration rolls are the
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10609-01-3
              

 S. 6173                             2
 
 foundation of free, fair, and  accurate  elections.  Illegal  voting  is
 exceedingly rare but maintaining accurate voter rolls reduces the oppor-
 tunity  for  such  behavior  and  it  helps build confidence in election
 outcomes.
   § 2. Article 5 of the election law is amended by adding a new title 10
 to read as follows:
                                  TITLE X
  MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP AUTHORIZATION
 SECTION 5-1000. JOINING  A  MULTISTATE  VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZA-
                   TION.
         5-1001. DESIGNATING A MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE.
         5-1002. AUTHORIZATION TO SHARE REGISTRATION RECORDS WITH  MULTI-
                   STATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION.
   §  5-1000.  JOINING  A MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION.
 THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAY JOIN THE  STATE  AS  A
 MEMBER  IN  ONE  OR MORE MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE ELECTRONIC  REGISTRATION  INFORMATION
 CENTER  OR ITS SUCCESSOR. THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FUNDS
 AS AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERSHIP FEES, DUES AND  OTHER  EXPENSES  RELATED  TO
 SUCH MEMBERSHIP.
   §  5-1001.  DESIGNATING  A MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE. THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE
 STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL DESIGNATE A MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD  OF
 ELECTIONS  AS  A  REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ANY MULTI-
 STATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION THAT THE STATE IS A MEMBER  OF
 INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO, THE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION INFORMATION
 CENTER OR ITS SUCCESSOR.
   § 5-1002. AUTHORIZATION TO SHARE REGISTRATION RECORDS WITH  MULTISTATE
 VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZATION.  1.    NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER
 PROVISION OF LAW, THE MEMBER  REPRESENTATIVE  DESIGNATED  UNDER  SECTION
 5-1001  OF  THIS  TITLE MAY PROVIDE TO THE MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTE-
 NANCE ORGANIZATION THAT THEY ARE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  OF
 THE  FOLLOWING INFORMATION FROM THE STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION 5-614 OF THIS ARTICLE:
   (A) ALL NAME FIELDS;
   (B) ALL ADDRESS FIELDS;
   (C) ACTIVITY DATES AS DEFINED BY THE MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE
 ORGANIZATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS;
   (D) AFFIRMATIVE DOCUMENTATION OF CITIZENSHIP,  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  NO
 DOCUMENTATION  SHALL  BE  SENT  TO ANY MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE
 ORGANIZATION AFFIRMING THAT A PERSON IS NOT A CITIZEN; AND
   (E) TYPE OF DOCUMENTATION OF CITIZENSHIP PRESENTED, IF ANY.
   2. THE MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE DESIGNATED UNDER SECTION 5-1001  OF  THIS
 TITLE  MAY  ALSO  PROVIDE  ANY  INFORMATION TO THE MULTISTATE VOTER LIST
 MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED TO SUCH MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
 DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO HUNDRED  NINETEEN-A
 OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW.
   §  3.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
 219-a to read as follows:
   § 219-A. STATE MEMBERSHIP  IN  A  MULTISTATE  VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE
 ORGANIZATION.  1.  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS  AUTHORIZED  TO  PROVIDE TO THE
 STATE'S MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE TO A  MULTISTATE  VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE
 ORGANIZATION,  DESIGNATED  UNDER SECTION 5-1001 OF THE ELECTION LAW, THE
 FOLLOWING INFORMATION: (A) ALL NAME FIELDS; (B) ALL ADDRESS FIELDS;  (C)
 AFFIRMATIVE  DOCUMENTATION  OF CITIZENSHIP; (D) TYPE OF DOCUMENTATION OF
 CITIZENSHIP PRESENTED; (E) DMV ID NUMBER; (F) LAST FOUR  DIGITS  OF  THE
 VOTER'S  SOCIAL  SECURITY  NUMBER;  (G) CURRENT RECORD STATUS; (H) PHONE
 S. 6173                             3
 
 NUMBER; AND (I) E-MAIL ADDRESS, PROVIDED THAT THE CONDITIONS  AND  TERMS
 OF  MEMBERSHIP  ARE  CONSISTENT  WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER AND
 TITLE TEN OF ARTICLE FIVE OF THE ELECTION LAW PERTAINING TO SUCH MEMBER-
 SHIP OR RECIPROCAL RECOGNITION OF VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6173--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 31, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the  Committee  on  Elections  --  reported
   favorably  from  said  committee  and  committed  to  the Committee on
   Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended,  ordered  reprinted  as
   amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT  to  amend  the election law and the vehicle and traffic law, in
   relation to joining multistate voter list maintenance organizations
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings and intent.  As the official record of
 all  eligible  voters in a state, a state's voter registration rolls are
 the foundation of free, fair, and accurate elections. Illegal voting  is
 exceedingly rare but maintaining accurate voter rolls reduces the oppor-
 tunity  for  such  behavior  and  it  helps build confidence in election
 outcomes. However, keeping  voter  rolls  up  to  date  is  a  challenge
 because, every day, voters move or die. Voters do not always remember to
 update their registration when they move. These challenges are especial-
 ly  acute  in  states  with large and highly mobile populations. Partic-
 ipation in a multistate voter list maintenance organization can  improve
 the  accuracy of New York's voter registration rolls. A multistate voter
 list maintenance organization is a coordinating  entity  between  states
 that  aids  them  in identifying voters who may no longer be eligible to
 vote, who have moved, or who have died. A voter list maintenance  organ-
 ization  may  also  offer  other  information  useful to improving voter
 registration or enhancing the integrity of election administration.
   § 2. Article 5 of the election law is amended by adding a new title 10
 to read as follows:
                                  TITLE X
  MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP AUTHORIZATION
 SECTION 5-1000. JOINING A MULTISTATE VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZA-
                   TION.
         5-1001. DESIGNATING MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES.
         5-1002. AUTHORIZATION  TO SHARE REGISTRATION RECORDS WITH MULTI-
                   STATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION.
 
              

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10609-06-3
 S. 6173--A                          2
 
   § 5-1000. JOINING A MULTISTATE VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZATION.
 THE  STATE  BOARD  OF ELECTIONS MAY JOIN THE STATE AS A MEMBER IN ONE OR
 MORE MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING, BUT  NOT
 LIMITED  TO,  THE  ELECTRONIC  REGISTRATION  INFORMATION  CENTER  OR ITS
 SUCCESSOR.  THE  COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FUNDS AS AVAILABLE
 FOR MEMBERSHIP FEES, DUES AND OTHER EXPENSES RELATED TO SUCH MEMBERSHIP.
   § 5-1001. DESIGNATING  MEMBER  REPRESENTATIVES.  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF
 ELECTIONS  SHALL DESIGNATE THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF THE STATE BOARD
 OF ELECTIONS AS THE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  OF  ANY
 MULTISTATE  VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZATION  THAT  THE STATE IS A
 MEMBER OF INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED  TO,  THE  ELECTRONIC  REGISTRATION
 INFORMATION CENTER OR ITS SUCCESSOR.
   §  5-1002. AUTHORIZATION TO SHARE REGISTRATION RECORDS WITH MULTISTATE
 VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZATION.  1.    NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER
 PROVISION  OF  LAW,  THE MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES DESIGNATED UNDER SECTION
 5-1001 OF THIS TITLE MAY PROVIDE TO THE MULTISTATE  VOTER  LIST  MAINTE-
 NANCE  ORGANIZATION  THAT THEY ARE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
 THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FROM THE STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION LIST  AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION 5-614 OF THIS ARTICLE:
   (A) ALL NAME FIELDS;
   (B) ALL ADDRESS FIELDS;
   (C) DATE OF BIRTH;
   (D) STATE VOTER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER;
   (E) VOTER'S LAST REGISTRATION DATE;
   (F) ACTIVITY DATES AS DEFINED BY THE MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE
 ORGANIZATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS;
   (G)  AFFIRMATIVE  DOCUMENTATION  OF CITIZENSHIP, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, NO
 DOCUMENTATION SHALL BE SENT TO ANY  MULTISTATE  VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE
 ORGANIZATION AFFIRMING THAT A PERSON IS NOT A CITIZEN; AND
   (H) TYPE OF DOCUMENTATION OF CITIZENSHIP PRESENTED, IF ANY.
   2.  THE MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES DESIGNATED UNDER SECTION 5-1001 OF THIS
 TITLE MAY ALSO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION  TO  THE  MULTISTATE  VOTER  LIST
 MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZATION  PROVIDED  TO SUCH MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES FROM
 THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO  HUNDRED  NINE-
 TEEN-A OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW.
   §  3.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
 219-a to read as follows:
   § 219-A. STATE MEMBERSHIP  IN  A  MULTISTATE  VOTER  LIST  MAINTENANCE
 ORGANIZATION.  THE  COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE TO THE STATE'S
 MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES TO A MULTISTATE VOTER LIST MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZA-
 TION, DESIGNATED UNDER SECTION 5-1001 OF THE ELECTION LAW, THE FOLLOWING
 INFORMATION:  (A)  ALL NAME FIELDS; (B) ALL ADDRESS FIELDS; (C) AFFIRMA-
 TIVE DOCUMENTATION OF CITIZENSHIP; (D) TYPE OF DOCUMENTATION OF CITIZEN-
 SHIP PRESENTED; (E) DMV ID NUMBER; (F) LAST FOUR DIGITS OF  THE  DMV  ID
 HOLDER'S  SOCIAL  SECURITY NUMBER; (G) DATE OF BIRTH; (H) CURRENT RECORD
 STATUS; (I) PHONE NUMBER; AND (J)  E-MAIL  ADDRESS,  PROVIDED  THAT  THE
 CONDITIONS AND TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF
 THIS  CHAPTER AND TITLE TEN OF ARTICLE FIVE OF THE ELECTION LAW PERTAIN-
 ING TO SUCH MEMBERSHIP OR RECIPROCAL RECOGNITION  OF  VEHICLE  REGISTRA-
 TIONS.
   § 4. New York state shall make good faith efforts to join a multistate
 voter list maintenance organization promptly after the effective date of
 this  act  and  shall  complete its registration with a multistate voter
 list maintenance organization on or before July 31, 2025.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.