STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 154 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 6, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. PERRY, VANEL, WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to providing voting mate- rials and translators in French and Creole in the city of New York The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Haitian- 2 American Informed Voter Act". 3 § 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 3-508 to read 4 as follows: 5 § 3-508. Boards of elections; voting materials in French and Creole. A 6 board of elections in a city of over one million shall provide the same 7 information in French and Creole that it provides in languages other 8 than English on its website. It shall also produce and disseminate city- 9 wide a booklet that includes: (a) a voter registration form in English 10 with instructions in French and Creole; (b) instructions regarding the 11 criteria and application process for obtaining an absentee ballot; and 12 (c) a section with general information including frequently asked ques- 13 tions. Such board may include other languages on its website and in such 14 booklet. 15 § 3. Section 8-104 of the election law is amended by adding a new 16 subdivision 8 to read as follows: 17 8. In the city of New York, during days of primary, general and 18 special elections, at each premises wherein a polling place or places 19 are located in a political subdivision of the state where more than five 20 percent of the citizens of voting age of such political subdivision 21 speak the language of French and/or Creole and are limited-English 22 proficient, at least one French-English language and/or Creole-English 23 translator designated by such city shall be assigned for duty from the 24 opening until the closing of the polls. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04275-01-1A. 154 2 1 § 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 2 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 3 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 4 this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made 5 and completed on or before such effective date.