STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3617
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 30, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- 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 designating every
government entity which issues licenses to carry, possess, repair and
dispose of firearms as participating agencies for voter registration
form distribution and assistance
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The opening paragraph of section 5-211 of the election law,
2 as separately amended by chapters 587 and 672 of the laws of 2019, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 Each agency designated as a participating agency under the provisions
5 of this section shall implement and administer a program of distribution
6 of voter registration forms pursuant to the provisions of this section.
7 The following offices which provide public assistance and/or provide
8 state funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons
9 with disabilities are hereby designated as voter registration agencies:
10 designated as the state agencies which provide public assistance are the
11 office of children and family services, the office of temporary and
12 disability assistance and the department of health. Also designated as
13 public assistance agencies are all agencies of local government that
14 provide such assistance. Designated as state agencies that provide
15 programs primarily engaged in providing services to people with disabil-
16 ities are the department of labor, office for the aging, division of
17 veterans' services, office of mental health, office of vocational and
18 educational services for individuals with disabilities, commission on
19 quality of care for the mentally disabled, office for people with devel-
20 opmental disabilities, commission for the blind, office of alcoholism
21 and substance abuse services, the office of the advocate for the disa-
22 bled and all offices which administer programs established or funded by
23 such agencies. Additional participating agencies designated as voter
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02107-01-1
S. 3617 2
1 registration offices are the department of state [and], the district
2 offices of the workers' compensation board and every court and law
3 enforcement agency when such entities are issuing licenses to carry,
4 possess, repair or dispose of firearms. Such agencies shall be required
5 to offer voter registration forms to persons upon initial application
6 for services, upon renewal or recertification for services [and],
7 participation in activities or use of facilities of the agency, and upon
8 change of address relating to such services. Such agencies shall also be
9 responsible for providing assistance to applicants in completing voter
10 registration forms, receiving and transmitting the completed application
11 form from all applicants who wish to have such form transmitted to the
12 appropriate board of elections. The state board of elections shall,
13 together with representatives of the United States department of
14 defense, develop and implement procedures for including recruitment
15 offices of the armed forces of the United States as voter registration
16 offices when such offices are so designated by federal law. The state
17 board of elections shall also make request of the United States Citizen-
18 ship and Immigration Services to include applications for registration
19 by mail with any materials which are given to new citizens.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day
21 after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,
22 amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the
23 implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be
24 made on or before such date.