NY State Senate Bill 2025-S2056A

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

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 09, 2025	print number 2056a
Jun 09, 2025	amend and recommit to elections
Jan 15, 2025	referred to elections

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

co-Sponsors

2025-S2056 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3954
Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: Election Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§5-211 & 17-208, El L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S9676

2025-S2056 - Summary

Enacts the "student voter empowerment act"; requires each institution of higher education to designate a staff member to act as a student voting coordinator; requires such coordinator to develop and implement a student voting action plan to increase student voter registration and voting and democratic participation among students.

2025-S2056 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2056

SPONSOR: WEBB
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the election law, in relation to enacting the "student
voter empowerment act"

 
PURPOSE:

Enacts the student voter empowerment act to expand civic engagement
among public college students.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 includes the title as the student voter empowerment act.

Section 2 amends subdivision 18 of section 5-211 of the election law to
require all public colleges and universities to provide additional
information on polling places on websites and requires that each public
college or university designate a staff member to serve as a student
voting coordinator. The coordinator's goal is to develop an action plan

and to hold outreach events in an election cycle.

Section 3 amends section 17-288 of the election law to include "resi-
dents of college or university" for the provision assistance for
language-minority groups.

Section 4 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

During the 2022 midterm elections, 23% of eligible voters ages 18 to 29
turned out to vote across the country, making it the second-highest
youth turnout in over three decades. New York's youth turnout rate has
improved in recent elections but still falls behind the national average
with only 20.7% of young voters turning out to vote in 2022. With an
increasing trend of newer voters not relying on major political parties
or candidates for election information, it is critical that we reimagine
how public universities can expand their voter education efforts to
increase youth turnout, dispel voter confusion, combat misinformation
about elections, and promote an informed citizenry of young New Yorkers.

According to the National Study for Learning, Voting and Engagement
(NSLVE), there was a notable gap in the turnout rate of student voters
and the rate of eligible student voters who registered to vote in the
last presidential election. Even if a young person is registered to
vote, one of the most common reasons young people cite for not voting in
an election is the lack of information about election processes and who
is running for office.

Some public universities like Binghamton University, have robust
programs in place to engage students on the importance of voting and
civic engagement. However, not all colleges and universities have a high
level of engagement or any engagement in civics and the importance of
voting.

This legislation would require all public colleges and universities to
develop and implement student voter action plans with multiple civic
events a year, provide students with regular nonpartisan election-relat-
ed information via different mediums, work with local boards of
elections to standardize student voter registration, create university
voter committees with students and support student groups doing voter
engagement. Furthermore, the Act outlines the required election-related
information to be sent to students, allows excusel policies for students
to vote, and will enroll all CONY/SONY schools in Tuft's National Study
for Learning, Voting and ,Engagement.

The Student Voter Empowerment Act will play a key role in ensuring our
public colleges and universities are doing everything they can as trust-
ed messengers of civic information to close the voter registration and
turnout gap of young voters across New York.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law;
provided, however, that if chapter 226 of the laws of 2022 shall not
have taken effect on or before such date then section three of this act
shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as such chap-
ter of the laws of 2022 takes effect. Effective immediately, any rules
and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its
effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
date.

2025-S2056 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2056
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  WEBB,  MAY -- 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 enacting  the  "student
   voter empowerment act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "student voter empowerment act".
   §  2.  Subdivision 18 of section 5-211 of the election law, as amended
 by chapter 481 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   18. (a) [(i)] On or before January first,  two  thousand  twenty,  all
 institutions of the state university of New York and the city university
 of  New  York  shall create and make available to all students a webpage
 for voter education on each such  institution's  website,  containing  a
 link  to an application for voter registration, a link to an application
 for an early mail ballot, UPDATED INFORMATION  ABOUT  THE  LOCATION  AND
 HOURS OF THE POLLING PLACE DESIGNATED FOR STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE ON
 THE CONTIGUOUS PROPERTY OF THE INSTITUTION, IF SUCH POLLING PLACE EXISTS
 PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  FIVE-A OF SECTION 4-104 OF THIS CHAPTER OR AS
 DESIGNATED BY THE LOCAL BOARD OF ELECTION, KEY DATES FOR  VOTING  REGIS-
 TRATION,  VOTING  TIMES, AND ABSENTEE VOTING DETAILED IN THE STATE BOARD
 OF ELECTIONS POLITICAL CALENDAR, INFORMATION ABOUT THE VOTING RIGHTS  OF
 STUDENTS, contact information for the county board of elections, and the
 name  and  contact  information  for  the [administrator responsible for
 voter  registration  assistance]  STUDENT  VOTING  COORDINATOR  on  each
 campus.
   [(ii)] (B) Each such institution shall, at the beginning of the school
 year,  and  again  in  January  of  a year in which the president of the
 United States is to be elected, provide an application for voter  regis-
 tration  and  an application for an early mail ballot to each student in
 each such institution. Each institution shall be considered  in  compli-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03341-01-5

 S. 2056                             2
 
 ance  with  the  requirements  of this [subparagraph] PARAGRAPH for each
 student to whom  the  institution  electronically  transmits  a  message
 containing  the  link to the webpage for voter education, the link to an
 application for voter registration and the link to an application for an
 early  mail  ballot,  if  such  information  is in an electronic message
 devoted exclusively to voter registration.
   [(iii)] (C) Each such institution shall provide  the  same  degree  of
 assistance as required of participating agencies.
   [(b)] 19. (A) EACH INSTITUTION WITHIN THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
 AND  THE  CITY  UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SHALL DESIGNATE A STAFF MEMBER TO
 ACT AS A STUDENT VOTING  COORDINATOR.  THE  STUDENT  VOTING  COORDINATOR
 SHALL  DEVELOP  AND  IMPLEMENT  A STUDENT VOTING ACTION PLAN TO INCREASE
 STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING AND DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION AMONG
 STUDENTS.  SUCH STUDENT VOTING ACTION PLAN  SHALL  COVER  THE  TWO  YEAR
 PERIOD  IMMEDIATELY  PRECEDING EACH STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION, PROVIDED
 HOWEVER THAT THE ACTION PLAN FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER
 OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE THAT  AMENDED  THIS  SUBDIVISION
 SHALL  COVER  THE PERIOD AFTER SUCH EFFECTIVE DATE, AND SHALL BE UPDATED
 AFTER EACH STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION.
   (B) THE STUDENT VOTING ACTION PLAN SHALL INCLUDE:
   (I) A MINIMUM OF THREE ELECTION OUTREACH EVENTS TO INCREASE DEMOCRATIC
 PARTICIPATION AND STUDENT VOTING DURING AN ACADEMIC YEAR,  INCLUDING  AT
 LEAST ONE EVENT DURING THE FORTY-FIVE DAYS PRECEDING A GENERAL OR PRIMA-
 RY  ELECTION.  AT  LEAST  ONE EVENT SHALL BE HELD IN-PERSON. SUCH EVENTS
 SHALL BE OPEN FOR ALL STUDENTS  TO  ATTEND,  AND  MAY  BE  SPONSORED  BY
 STUDENT  ORGANIZATIONS, PROVIDED THEY MAINTAIN REQUIREMENTS IN PARAGRAPH
 (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (II) PROVISION OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS ON VOTING AND  VOTER  REGIS-
 TRATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO APPLICATION AND ONLINE APPLICATION
 FOR  VOTER  REGISTRATION  AS  REQUIRED  IN  SUBDIVISION EIGHTEEN OF THIS
 SECTION, IN CENTRAL LOCATIONS AND HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS ON CAMPUS,  INCLUD-
 ING  DURING ORIENTATION EVENTS FOR NEW STUDENTS AND DURING COURSE REGIS-
 TRATION PROCESSES, AND IN ELECTRONIC MESSAGES, SOCIAL  MEDIA  PLATFORMS,
 AND TEXT MESSAGES TO CELLULAR PHONES, TO THE EXTENT THE INSTITUTION USES
 SUCH METHODS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO STUDENTS.
   (III)  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  LOCAL BOARDS OF ELECTIONS, PROVISION OF
 PRE-FILLED VOTER REGISTRATION  APPLICATIONS  WITH  RELEVANT  RESIDENTIAL
 ADDRESSES ON THE CONTIGUOUS PROPERTY OF THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.
   (IV)  DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING
 OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL STUDENTS ON THE WEBSITE CREATED PURSUANT TO  SUBDI-
 VISION EIGHTEEN OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING:
   (A) THE DATES FOR EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY VOTING;
   (B)  THE  LAST  DAY  FOR VOTER REGISTRATION, ENROLLMENT, AND CHANGE OF
 ENROLLMENT;
   (C) THE PROCESS TO SEARCH FOR A VOTER'S EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION  DAY
 ASSIGNED POLL SITES AND VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS;
   (D)  THE  LOCATION  AND  HOURS  OF  THE  POLLING  PLACE DESIGNATED FOR
 STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE AT ANY ADDRESS ON THE CONTIGUOUS PROPERTY OF
 THE INSTITUTION, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE-A OF SECTION 4-104 OF THIS
 CHAPTER, IF SUCH POLLING PLACE IS DESIGNATED;
   (E) THE PROCESS AND DEADLINES FOR APPLYING FOR AND RETURNING  ABSENTEE
 BALLOTS, EARLY MAIL BALLOTS, AND FOR CURING DEFECTS IN ABSENTEE BALLOTS;
   (F)  THE  OPTION TO USE STUDENTS' CAMPUS RESIDENCE ADDRESS TO REGISTER
 TO VOTE;
 S. 2056                             3
 
   (G) THE PROTECTIONS FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE PURSUANT  TO  TITLE  TWO  OF
 ARTICLE  SEVENTEEN  OF THIS CHAPTER, THE JOHN R. LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT
 OF NEW YORK, AND THE RIGHTS OF VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES; AND
   (H) THE ASSISTANCE FOR LANGUAGE-MINORITY GROUPS AS PROVIDED BY SECTION
 17-208 OF THIS CHAPTER.
   (V) SUPPORT OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE
 VOTER  REGISTRATION AND VOTING BY STUDENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE, DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION OF ACTIVITIES,  OR
 FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
   (VI)  A  POLICY  ALLOWING A STUDENT TO BE EXCUSED FROM CLASS OR ABSENT
 FROM A JOB WITH THE INSTITUTION FOR A REASONABLE PERIOD FOR THE  PURPOSE
 OF  VOTING  ON ELECTION DAY, IF THE STUDENT DOES NOT HAVE THREE HOURS OF
 CONTINUOUS TIME OUT OF CLASS OR OFF FROM  A  JOB  WITH  THE  INSTITUTION
 DURING THE TIME THE POLLS ARE OPEN ON ELECTION DAY.
   (VII)  ANY  OTHER  ACTIVITIES  TO  IMPROVE  ACCESS TO VOTING AND VOTER
 REGISTRATION FOR STUDENTS.
   (C) THE WORK OF THE STUDENT VOTING COORDINATOR AND THE  ACTIVITIES  IN
 THE  STUDENT  VOTING  ACTION PLAN, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO OUTREACH
 EVENTS,  INFORMATIONAL  MATERIALS,  AND  COMMUNICATIONS,  SHALL  NOT  BE
 CONDUCTED  FOR  THE PURPOSE OF FAVORING OR DISFAVORING PARTICULAR CANDI-
 DATES OR POLITICAL PARTIES.
   (D) THE CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND  THE  CHAN-
 CELLOR OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SHALL PROMULGATE RULES FOR THE
 MANNER  OF DEVELOPING THE STUDENT VOTING ACTION PLAN WHICH SHALL INCLUDE
 CONSULTATION WITH STAFF, FACULTY MEMBERS, AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS WITH
 EXPERIENCE IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
   (E) EACH INSTITUTION WITHIN THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK  AND  THE
 CITY  UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK  SHALL  ENROLL IN THE NATIONAL STUDY FOR
 LEARNING, VOTING, AND ENGAGEMENT BY  THE  INSTITUTE  FOR  DEMOCRACY  AND
 HIGHER  EDUCATION AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY. WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF RECEIVING A
 REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL STUDY FOR LEARNING, VOTING, AND  ENGAGEMENT  BY
 THE INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HIGHER EDUCATION AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY, AN
 INSTITUTION  SHALL  SEND THE REPORT TO THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. THE
 STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL MAKE SUCH REPORTS PUBLICLY  AVAILABLE  ON
 THE WEBSITE.
   (F)  The  state  university of New York and the city university of New
 York, on behalf of each institution  within  its  system,  shall  on  or
 before June first, two thousand twenty, and each subsequent year, submit
 a  report disaggregated according to each institution to the state board
 of elections that includes:
   (i) the efforts of the institution to register voters in the preceding
 calendar year;
   (ii) a date-stamped screen shot of the  webpage  for  voter  education
 that  contains  the  required  information under [paragraph (a) of this]
 subdivision EIGHTEEN OF THIS SECTION;
   (iii) the number of students who were registered for  course  work  in
 the preceding twelve months at such institution and the number of clicks
 on the links to online voter registration and early mail ballot applica-
 tions; [and]
   (iv)  any  other  efforts  or recommendations the institution plans to
 implement to improve access to voter registration and early mail  ballot
 voting for students at the institution; AND
   (V) EACH STUDENT VOTING ACTION PLAN DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED PURSUANT
 TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
 S. 2056                             4
 
   [(c)] (G) The state board of elections shall make the reports provided
 pursuant  to  paragraph [(b)] (F) of this subdivision publicly available
 on its website.
   §  3. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 17-208 of the election
 law, as added by chapter 226 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read  as
 follows:
   (a) more than two percent, but in no instance fewer than three hundred
 individuals, of the citizens of voting age of a political subdivision OR
 RESIDENTS  OF  A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY are members of a single language-
 minority group and are limited English proficient.
   § 4. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
 law;  provided,  however,  that if chapter 226 of the laws of 2022 shall
 not have taken effect on or before such date then section three 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,  any
 rules  and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act
 on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and  completed  on  or
 before such date.

co-Sponsors

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3954
Current Committee:: Senate Elections
Law Section:: Election Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§5-211 & 17-208, El L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S9676

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2056A       Revised 06/10/25

SPONSOR: WEBB
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the election law, in relation to enacting the "student
voter empowerment act"

 
PURPOSE:

Enacts the Student Voter Empowerment act to expand civic engagement
among college students.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2
the "Student Voter Empowerment Act."

Section 2. This section requires the City University of the State of New
York (CUNY) and State University of the State of New York (SUNY) systems
to include updated polling place information for students registered to
vote and key voter registrations dates on each institution's website.

This section requires all public and private colleges and universities
to create a voter education website for student use that contains a link
for voter registration and absentee ballot forms, in addition to the
location and hours of the designated polling places for students to vote
and other pertinent information. Additionally, all colleges and univer-
sities will be required to provide applications for voter registration
and absentee ballots to students at the beginning of the school year and
during January of the years of the presidential elections.

This section requires all colleges and universities to designate a
student voting coordinator to develop and implement an action plan to
increase voter participation among students.

All colleges and universities submit a report to the State Board Of
Elections (SBOE), detailing its efforts to promote student voter regis-
tration and participation. promote voter access. The SBOE will make
these reports publicly available on its website. SBOE is authorized to
supplement the date collected by coordinating with academic or non-pro-
fit research institutions that conduct studies on student civic engage-
ment and voter participation to facilitate the analysis of data regard-
ing student voting in the state.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

During the 2022 midterm elections, 23% of eligible voters ages 18 to 29
turned out to vote across the country, making it the second-highest
youth turnout in over three decades. New York's youth turnout rate has
improved in recent elections but still falls behind the national average
with only 20.7% of young voters turning out to vote in 2022. With an
increasing trend of newer voters not relying on major political parties
or candidates for election information, it is critical that we reimagine
how public universities can expand their voter education efforts to
increase youth turnout, dispel voter confusion, combat misinformation
about elections, and promote an informed citizenry of young New Yorkers.


Some public universities like Binghamton University, have robust
programs in place to engage students on the importance of voting and
civic engagement. However, not all colleges and universities have a high
level of engagement or any engagement in civics and the importance of
voting.

This legislation would require all public colleges and universities to
develop and implement student voter action plans with multiple civic
events a year, provide students with regular nonpartisan election
related information via different mediums, work with local boards of
elections to standardize student voter registration, create university
voter committees with students and support student groups doing voter
engagement. Furthermore, the Act outlines the required election-related
information to be sent to students, allows policies for students to
vote, and will enroll all CUNY/SUNY schools in Tuft's National Study for
Learning, Voting and Engagement.

The Student Voter Empowerment Act will play a key role in ensuring our
public colleges and universities are doing everything they can as trust-
ed messengers of civic information to close the voter registration and
turnout gap of young voters across New York.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become law.

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  2056--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  WEBB, CLEARE, FAHY, MAY -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and  when  printed  to  be  committed  to  the  Committee  on
   Elections  -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to enacting  the  "student
   voter empowerment act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "student voter empowerment act".
   §  2.  Subdivision 18 of section 5-211 of the election law, as amended
 by chapter 481 of the laws of 2023, is amended and two new  subdivisions
 19 and 20 are added to read as follows:
   18.  (a)  [(i)]  On  or before January first, two thousand twenty, all
 institutions of the state university of New York and the city university
 of New York shall create and make available to all  students  a  webpage
 for  voter  education  on  each such institution's website, containing a
 link to an application for voter registration, a link to an  application
 for  an  early  mail  ballot, UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCATION AND
 HOURS OF THE POLLING PLACE DESIGNATED FOR STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE ON
 THE CONTIGUOUS PROPERTY OF THE INSTITUTION, IF SUCH POLLING PLACE EXISTS
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE-A OF SECTION 4-104 OF THIS  CHAPTER  OR  AS
 DESIGNATED  BY  THE LOCAL BOARD OF ELECTION, KEY DATES FOR VOTING REGIS-
 TRATION, VOTING TIMES, AND ABSENTEE VOTING DETAILED IN THE  STATE  BOARD
 OF  ELECTIONS POLITICAL CALENDAR, INFORMATION ABOUT THE VOTING RIGHTS OF
 STUDENTS, contact information for the county board of elections, and the
 name and contact information  for  the  [administrator  responsible  for
 voter  registration  assistance]  STUDENT  VOTING  COORDINATOR  on  each
 campus.
   [(ii)] (B) Each such institution shall, at the beginning of the school
 year, and again in January of a year  in  which  the  president  of  the
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03341-05-5

 S. 2056--A                          2
 
 United  States is to be elected, provide an application for voter regis-
 tration and an application for an early mail ballot to each  student  in
 each  such  institution. Each institution shall be considered in compli-
 ance  with  the  requirements  of this [subparagraph] PARAGRAPH for each
 student to whom  the  institution  electronically  transmits  a  message
 containing  the  link to the webpage for voter education, the link to an
 application for voter registration and the link to an application for an
 early mail ballot, if such  information  is  in  an  electronic  message
 devoted exclusively to voter registration.
   [(iii)]  (C)  Each  such  institution shall provide the same degree of
 assistance as required of participating agencies.
   [(b) The state university of New York and the city university  of  New
 York,  on  behalf  of  each  institution  within its system, shall on or
 before June first, two thousand twenty, and each subsequent year, submit
 a report disaggregated according to each institution to the state  board
 of elections that includes:
   (i) the efforts of the institution to register voters in the preceding
 calendar year;
   (ii)  a  date-stamped  screen  shot of the webpage for voter education
 that contains the required  information  under  paragraph  (a)  of  this
 subdivision;
   (iii)  the  number  of students who were registered for course work in
 the preceding twelve months at such institution and the number of clicks
 on the links to online voter registration and early mail ballot applica-
 tions; and
   (iv) any other efforts or recommendations  the  institution  plans  to
 implement  to improve access to voter registration and early mail ballot
 voting for students at the institution.
   (c) The state board of  elections  shall  make  the  reports  provided
 pursuant  to paragraph (b) of this subdivision publicly available on its
 website.]
   19. (A) ON OR BEFORE  JANUARY  FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX,  ALL
 PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE  HIGHER  EDUCATION  INSTITUTIONS  IN NEW YORK SHALL
 CREATE AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS A WEBPAGE FOR VOTER  EDUCATION
 ON  EACH SUCH INSTITUTION'S WEBSITE, CONTAINING A LINK TO AN APPLICATION
 FOR VOTER REGISTRATION, A LINK TO  AN  APPLICATION  FOR  AN  EARLY  MAIL
 BALLOT,  UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCATION AND HOURS OF THE POLLING
 PLACE DESIGNATED FOR STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE ON THE CONTIGUOUS PROP-
 ERTY OF THE INSTITUTION, IF SUCH POLLING PLACE EXISTS PURSUANT TO SUBDI-
 VISION FIVE-A OF SECTION 4-104 OF THIS CHAPTER OR AS DESIGNATED  BY  THE
 LOCAL  BOARD  OF  ELECTION,  KEY  DATES  FOR VOTING REGISTRATION, VOTING
 TIMES, AND ABSENTEE VOTING DETAILED IN  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS
 POLITICAL  CALENDAR,  INFORMATION  ABOUT  THE VOTING RIGHTS OF STUDENTS,
 CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS, AND THE NAME  AND
 CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE STUDENT VOTING COORDINATOR ON EACH CAMPUS.
   (B)  EACH SUCH INSTITUTION SHALL, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR,
 AND AGAIN IN JANUARY OF A YEAR IN WHICH  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED
 STATES  IS  TO BE ELECTED, PROVIDE AN APPLICATION FOR VOTER REGISTRATION
 AND AN APPLICATION FOR AN EARLY MAIL BALLOT TO EACH STUDENT IN EACH SUCH
 INSTITUTION. EACH INSTITUTION SHALL BE CONSIDERED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
 REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PARAGRAPH FOR EACH STUDENT TO WHOM THE  INSTITUTION
 ELECTRONICALLY  TRANSMITS  A  MESSAGE CONTAINING THE LINK TO THE WEBPAGE
 FOR VOTER EDUCATION, THE LINK TO THE WEBPAGE FOR  VOTER  EDUCATION,  THE
 LINK  TO AN APPLICATION FOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND THE LINK TO AN APPLI-
 CATION FOR AN EARLY MAIL BALLOT, IF SUCH INFORMATION IS IN AN ELECTRONIC
 MESSAGE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO VOTER REGISTRATION. EACH SUCH INSTITUTION
 S. 2056--A                          3
 
 SHALL PROVIDE THE SAME DEGREE OF ASSISTANCE AS REQUIRED OF PARTICIPATING
 AGENCIES.
   (C)  EACH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM ON BEHALF OF EACH
 INSTITUTION WITHIN ITS SYSTEM, SHALL ON OR BEFORE JUNE FIRST, TWO  THOU-
 SAND TWENTY-SIX, AND EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, SUBMIT A REPORT DISAGGREGATED
 ACCORDING  TO  EACH  INSTITUTION  TO  THE  STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS THAT
 INCLUDES:
   (I) THE EFFORTS OF THE INSTITUTION TO REGISTER VOTERS IN THE PRECEDING
 CALENDAR YEAR;
   (II) A DATE-STAMPED SCREEN SHOT OF THE  WEBPAGE  FOR  VOTER  EDUCATION
 THAT  CONTAINS  THE  REQUIRED  INFORMATION  UNDER  PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS
 SUBDIVISION;
   (III) THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO WERE REGISTERED FOR  COURSE  WORK  IN
 THE PRECEDING TWELVE MONTHS AT SUCH INSTITUTION AND THE NUMBER OF CLICKS
 ON THE LINKS TO ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION AND EARLY MAIL BALLOT APPLICA-
 TIONS; AND
   (IV)  ANY  OTHER  EFFORTS  OR RECOMMENDATIONS THE INSTITUTION PLANS TO
 IMPLEMENT TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND EARLY MAIL  BALLOT
 VOTING FOR STUDENTS AT THE INSTITUTION.
   (D)  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL MAKE THE REPORTS PROVIDED
 PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON  ITS
 WEBSITE.
   20. (A) EACH HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK
 SHALL  DESIGNATE  A STAFF MEMBER TO ACT AS A STUDENT VOTING COORDINATOR.
 THE STUDENT VOTING COORDINATOR SHALL DEVELOP  AND  IMPLEMENT  A  STUDENT
 VOTING ACTION PLAN TO INCREASE STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING AND
 DEMOCRATIC  PARTICIPATION  AMONG  STUDENTS.   SUCH STUDENT VOTING ACTION
 PLAN SHALL COVER THE TWO YEAR PERIOD IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING  EACH  STATE-
 WIDE  GENERAL  ELECTION, PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT THE ACTION PLAN FOLLOWING
 THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-
 FIVE  THAT  AMENDED  THIS  SUBDIVISION SHALL COVER THE PERIOD AFTER SUCH
 EFFECTIVE DATE, AND  SHALL  BE  UPDATED  AFTER  EACH  STATEWIDE  GENERAL
 ELECTION.
   (B) THE STUDENT VOTING ACTION PLAN SHALL INCLUDE:
   (I) A MINIMUM OF THREE ELECTION OUTREACH EVENTS TO INCREASE DEMOCRATIC
 PARTICIPATION  AND  STUDENT VOTING DURING AN ACADEMIC YEAR, INCLUDING AT
 LEAST ONE EVENT DURING THE FORTY-FIVE DAYS PRECEDING A GENERAL OR PRIMA-
 RY ELECTION. AT LEAST ONE EVENT SHALL BE  HELD  IN-PERSON.  SUCH  EVENTS
 SHALL  BE  OPEN  FOR  ALL  STUDENTS  TO  ATTEND, AND MAY BE SPONSORED BY
 STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, PROVIDED THEY MAINTAIN THE REQUIREMENTS AS SPECI-
 FIED IN PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (II) PROVISION OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS ON VOTING AND  VOTER  REGIS-
 TRATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO APPLICATION AND ONLINE APPLICATION
 FOR  VOTER  REGISTRATION  AS  REQUIRED  IN  SUBDIVISION EIGHTEEN OF THIS
 SECTION, IN CENTRAL LOCATIONS AND HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS ON CAMPUS,  INCLUD-
 ING  DURING ORIENTATION EVENTS FOR NEW STUDENTS AND DURING COURSE REGIS-
 TRATION PROCESSES, AND IN ELECTRONIC MESSAGES, SOCIAL  MEDIA  PLATFORMS,
 AND TEXT MESSAGES TO CELLULAR PHONES, TO THE EXTENT THE INSTITUTION USES
 SUCH METHODS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO STUDENTS.
   (III)  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  LOCAL BOARDS OF ELECTIONS, PROVISION OF
 PRE-FILLED VOTER REGISTRATION  APPLICATIONS  WITH  RELEVANT  RESIDENTIAL
 ADDRESSES ON THE CONTIGUOUS PROPERTY OF THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.
   (IV)  DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING
 OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL STUDENTS ON THE WEBSITE CREATED PURSUANT TO  SUBDI-
 VISION EIGHTEEN OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING:
   (A) THE DATES FOR EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY VOTING;
 S. 2056--A                          4
 
   (B)  THE  LAST  DAY  FOR VOTER REGISTRATION, ENROLLMENT, AND CHANGE OF
 ENROLLMENT;
   (C)  THE PROCESS TO SEARCH FOR A VOTER'S EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY
 ASSIGNED POLL SITES AND VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS;
   (D) THE LOCATION  AND  HOURS  OF  THE  POLLING  PLACE  DESIGNATED  FOR
 STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE AT ANY ADDRESS ON THE CONTIGUOUS PROPERTY OF
 THE INSTITUTION, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE-A OF SECTION 4-104 OF THIS
 CHAPTER, IF SUCH POLLING PLACE IS DESIGNATED;
   (E)  THE PROCESS AND DEADLINES FOR APPLYING FOR AND RETURNING ABSENTEE
 BALLOTS, EARLY MAIL BALLOTS, AND FOR CURING DEFECTS IN ABSENTEE BALLOTS;
   (F) THE OPTION TO USE STUDENTS' CAMPUS RESIDENCE ADDRESS  TO  REGISTER
 TO VOTE;
   (G)  THE  PROTECTIONS  FOR  THE RIGHT TO VOTE PURSUANT TO TITLE TWO OF
 ARTICLE SEVENTEEN OF THIS CHAPTER, THE JOHN R. LEWIS VOTING  RIGHTS  ACT
 OF NEW YORK, AND THE RIGHTS OF VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES; AND
   (H) THE ASSISTANCE FOR LANGUAGE-MINORITY GROUPS AS PROVIDED BY SECTION
 17-208 OF THIS CHAPTER.
   (V) SUPPORT OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE
 VOTER  REGISTRATION AND VOTING BY STUDENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE, DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION OF ACTIVITIES,  OR
 FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
   (VI)  A  POLICY  ALLOWING A STUDENT TO BE EXCUSED FROM CLASS OR ABSENT
 FROM A JOB WITH THE INSTITUTION FOR A REASONABLE PERIOD FOR THE  PURPOSE
 OF  VOTING  ON ELECTION DAY, IF THE STUDENT DOES NOT HAVE THREE HOURS OF
 CONTINUOUS TIME OUT OF CLASS OR OFF FROM  A  JOB  WITH  THE  INSTITUTION
 DURING THE TIME THE POLLS ARE OPEN ON ELECTION DAY.
   (VII)  ANY  OTHER  ACTIVITIES  TO  IMPROVE  ACCESS TO VOTING AND VOTER
 REGISTRATION FOR STUDENTS.
   (C) THE WORK OF THE STUDENT VOTING COORDINATOR AND THE  ACTIVITIES  IN
 THE  STUDENT  VOTING  ACTION PLAN, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO OUTREACH
 EVENTS,  INFORMATIONAL  MATERIALS,  AND  COMMUNICATIONS,  SHALL  NOT  BE
 CONDUCTED  FOR  THE PURPOSE OF FAVORING OR DISFAVORING PARTICULAR CANDI-
 DATES OR POLITICAL PARTIES.
   (D) THE CHANCELLOR OR PRESIDENT OF EACH HIGHER  EDUCATION  INSTITUTION
 IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL PROMULGATE RULES FOR THE MANNER OF DEVEL-
 OPING  THE  STUDENT  VOTING ACTION PLAN WHICH SHALL INCLUDE CONSULTATION
 WITH STAFF, FACULTY MEMBERS, AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS  WITH  EXPERIENCE
 IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
   (E)  ON  OR  BEFORE  JUNE  FIRST OF EACH YEAR, EACH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE STATE BOARD OF
 ELECTIONS, IN A FORM AND MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE BOARD,  DETAILING  ITS
 EFFORTS  TO  PROMOTE  STUDENT  VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION. THE
 STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE  UNIVERSITY  OF
 NEW  YORK  AND  THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, SHALL ESTABLISH UNIFORM
 STANDARDS FOR SUCH REPORTS. EACH REPORT SHALL BE DISAGGREGATED BY INSTI-
 TUTION AND SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (I) THE EFFORTS OF THE INSTITUTION TO  PROMOTE  VOTER  ACCESS  IN  THE
 PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR, INCLUDING THE STUDENT VOTING ACTION PLAN DEVEL-
 OPED AND IMPLEMENTED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION;
   (II) A DATE-STAMPED SCREENSHOT OF THE WEBPAGE FOR VOTER EDUCATION THAT
 CONTAINS  THE  INFORMATION  REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION EIGHTEEN OR
 NINETEEN OF THIS SECTION, AS APPLICABLE;
   (III) NON-PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE DATA  ON  STUDENT  REGISTRATION  AND
 PARTICIPATION,  INCLUDING  THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS REGISTERED FOR COURSE-
 WORK IN THE PRECEDING TWELVE MONTHS AND, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE,  THE
 S. 2056--A                          5
 
 NUMBER  OF  CLICKS  ON LINKS TO ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION AND EARLY MAIL
 BALLOT APPLICATIONS PROVIDED BY THE INSTITUTION; AND
   (IV)  ANY  OTHER  EFFORTS  OR RECOMMENDATIONS THE INSTITUTION PLANS TO
 IMPLEMENT TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION  AND  VOTING  FOR  ITS
 STUDENTS.
   (F)  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL MAKE ALL REPORTS PROVIDED
 PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (E) OF THIS SUBDIVISION PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON  ITS
 WEBSITE.  THE  BOARD  SHALL ALSO, NOT LATER THAN SEPTEMBER FIRST OF EACH
 YEAR, PREPARE AND PUBLISH ON ITS  WEBSITE  A  SUMMARY  REPORT  ANALYZING
 STATEWIDE  TRENDS  IN STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION BASED
 ON THE DATA PROVIDED.
   (G) TO SUPPLEMENT THE DATA COLLECTED AND  ANALYSIS  PERFORMED  BY  THE
 BOARD,  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS MAY COORDINATE WITH A QUALIFIED
 ACADEMIC OR  NOT-FOR-PROFIT  RESEARCH  INSTITUTION,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
 LIMITED  TO  THOSE  LOCATED  OUTSIDE  THE STATE, WHICH CONDUCTS NATIONAL
 STUDIES ON STUDENT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND VOTER PARTICIPATION, TO  FACILI-
 TATE  THE  COLLECTION,  ANALYSIS, AND PUBLIC REPORTING OF NON-PERSONALLY
 IDENTIFIABLE DATA REGARDING STUDENT VOTING IN THE STATE.
   § 3. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 17-208 of the  election
 law,  as added by chapter 226 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
 follows:
   (a) more than two percent, but in no instance fewer than three hundred
 individuals, of the citizens of voting age of a political subdivision OR
 RESIDENTS OF A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY are members of a  single  language-
 minority group and are limited English proficient.
   §  4. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law; provided, however, that if chapter 226 of the laws  of  2022  shall
 not  have taken effect on or before such date then section three 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, any
 rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this  act
 on  its  effective  date  are  authorized to be made and completed on or
 before such date.

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Senate Bill S2056A

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Sponsored By

Lea Webb

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

Cordell Cleare

Patricia Fahy

Rachel May

2025-S2056 - Details

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2025-S2056 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Cordell Cleare

Patricia Fahy

Rachel May

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2056A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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