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Senate Bill S4796

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Provides the option for candidates for office and petition witnesses not to put their address on designation petitions

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

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2025-S4796 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Elections
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §6-131, El L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S5775
2021-2022: S2851
2023-2024: S4138

2025-S4796 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to enacting the "Esther Salas candidate privacy act" providing the option for candidates for office and petition witnesses not to put their address on designation petitions but instead file such with the county clerk for a fee.

2025-S4796 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S4796 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4796
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 12, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SANDERS -- 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  providing  the  option
   for  candidates  for  office  and  petition witnesses not to put their
   address on designation petitions

   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 "Esther Salas candidate privacy act".
   § 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 6-131 to read
 as follows:
   § 6-131. DESIGNATING PETITION; CANDIDATE AND WITNESS  INFORMATION.  1.
 NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER  SECTION  OF LAW, ANY CANDIDATE FOR LOCAL OR
 STATE ELECTIVE OFFICE, OR PETITION WITNESSES FOR SUCH ELECTIVE  OFFICES,
 SHALL  HAVE  THE  OPTION  TO NOT PROVIDE THEIR ADDRESS OF RESIDENCE ON A
 PETITION TO SEEK ELECTIVE OFFICE. IF THIS OPTION IS TAKEN, THE CANDIDATE
 OR PETITION WITNESS SHALL PROVIDE PROOF OF ADDRESS AND A  SWORN  AFFIDA-
 VIT,  ON PENALTY OF PERJURY, TO THE COUNTY CLERK IN THE COUNTY WHERE THE
 ELECTION IS TO BE HELD.
   2. A FEE OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS SHALL BE ASSESSED BY THE COUNTY  CLERK
 TO ANY CANDIDATE OPTING TO NOT PROVIDE THEIR ADDRESS OF RESIDENCE ON THE
 PETITION  AND  A TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR FEE TO COVER THE COST FOR THE CANDI-
 DATE AND ALL OF THEIR PETITION WITNESSES TO NOT PROVIDE THEIR ADDRESS OF
 RESIDENCE.
   3. A FINE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS SHALL BE IMPOSED ON A  CANDIDATE  OR
 PETITION  WITNESS  FOR KNOWINGLY PROVIDING FALSE MATERIAL INFORMATION TO
 THE COUNTY CLERK.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09612-01-5

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