Senate Bill S5392

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Improves transparency regarding boards of elections and improves voter centricity

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions

2023-S5392 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A296
Current Committee:
Senate Elections
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Amd El L, generally
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S9376, A10299

2023-S5392 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Improves transparency regarding boards of elections; improves voter centricity; includes boards of elections in open meetings requirements; requires certain notices be given regarding elections

2023-S5392 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S5392 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5392
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to improving  transparency
   regarding boards of elections and improving voter centricity
 
   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  3-227
 to read as follows:
   §  3-227.  OPEN  MEETINGS.  BOARDS OF ELECTIONS SHALL BE DEEMED PUBLIC
 BODIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW, AND
 MEETINGS OF COMMISSIONERS OF BOARDS OF ELECTIONS  SHALL  BE  SUBJECT  TO
 OPEN MEETINGS REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH ARTICLE.
   § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 4-104 of the election law is amended and
 a new subdivision 1-d is added to read as follows:
   1-D.  ANY DETERMINATIONS REGARDING THE DESIGNATION OF POLL SITES SHALL
 BE PROPOSED PUBLICLY AT LEAST THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO AN ELECTION,  AND  AN
 OPPORTUNITY  SHALL  BE  GIVEN  FOR  THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT. SUCH COMMENTS
 SHALL BE PURELY ADVISORY. THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORI-
 TY TO MAKE CHANGES TO POLL SITES AT ANY TIME WITHOUT PUBLIC  COMMENT  IF
 DEEMED  NECESSARY, SO LONG AS FIVE DAYS' NOTICE IS PROVIDED, PURSUANT TO
 SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   2. If the board of elections, after designating a polling  place,  and
 after  sending  written  notice of such polling place to each registered
 voter, designates an alternative polling place, it must, at  least  five
 days  before  the  next election or day for registration, send by mail a
 written notice to each registered voter notifying  him  of  the  changed
 location of such polling place. If such notice is not possible the board
 of  elections must provide for an alternative form of notice to be given
 to voters at the location of the previous polling place.  THE  BOARD  OF
 ELECTIONS  SHALL  ALSO  PROVIDE  SUCH NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC MAIL AND TEXT
 MESSAGE IF SUCH CONTACT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01111-01-3
              

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.