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Assembly Bill A5494

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to leave time for certain employees to volunteer as a poll worker

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Current Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

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2025-A5494 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Governmental Employees
Law Section:
Civil Service Law
Laws Affected:
Add §159-e, Civ Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
A6389

2025-A5494 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for a paid leave of absence for public officers and certain other employees to volunteer as a poll worker.

2025-A5494 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5494
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BROOK-KRASNY, NOVAKHOV -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Governmental Employees
 
 AN ACT to amend the civil service law, in relation  to  leave  time  for
   certain employees to volunteer as a poll worker
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The civil service law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 159-e to read as follows:
   §  159-E.  LEAVE TIME FOR POLL VOLUNTEERS. 1. EVERY PUBLIC OFFICER AND
 EVERY EMPLOYEE OF THE STATE, ANY  COUNTY,  ANY  COMMUNITY  COLLEGE,  ANY
 PUBLIC  AUTHORITY,  ANY PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, ANY BOARD OF COOPER-
 ATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (BOCES), ANY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND  EXTEN-
 SION  BOARD  OR  A  SCHOOL DISTRICT ENUMERATED IN SECTION ONE OF CHAPTER
 FIVE HUNDRED-SIXTY-SIX OF THE LAWS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN,  ANY
 MUNICIPALITY, ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT OR A PARTICIPATING EMPLOYER IN THE NEW
 YORK  STATE  AND  LOCAL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, OR A PARTICIPATING
 EMPLOYER IN THE NEW YORK STATE  TEACHERS'  RETIREMENT  SYSTEM  SHALL  BE
 ENTITLED  TO ABSENT THEMSELF AND SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE A PAID LEAVE OF
 ABSENCE FROM THEIR DUTIES OR SERVICE FOR A SUFFICIENT  PERIOD  OF  TIME,
 NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT HOURS ANNUALLY, TO VOLUNTEER AS A POLL WORKER DURING
 A LOCAL, NATIONAL, OR PRIMARY ELECTION.
   2.  THE ENTIRE PERIOD OF THE LEAVE OF ABSENCE GRANTED PURSUANT TO THIS
 SECTION SHALL BE EXCUSED LEAVE AND SHALL  NOT  BE  CHARGED  AGAINST  ANY
 OTHER  LEAVE TO WHICH SUCH PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE IS OTHERWISE ENTI-
 TLED.
   3. THE COMMISSION IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO  ESTABLISH  ANY
 NECESSARY   GUIDELINES,  INCLUDING  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  NOTICE,  REQUEST,
 APPROVAL OF LEAVE AND DOCUMENTATION.
   4. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO IMPEDE, INFRINGE, DIMIN-
 ISH, OR IMPAIR THE RIGHTS OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE  OR  EMPLOYER  UNDER  ANY
 LAW,  RULE,  REGULATION  OR  COLLECTIVELY  NEGOTIATED  AGREEMENT, OR THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09216-01-5

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