Bill Text: NY A04961 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Provides that absentee ballots for all elections shall be made available in Braille and large print, upon request of a blind or visually impaired voter no less than 30 days prior to each election day.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-01-03 - ordered to third reading cal.354 [A04961 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-A04961-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                         4961--A
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    February 6, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  WEPRIN,  CUSICK, COLTON, ENGLEBRIGHT, ORTIZ,
          ZEBROWSKI, MOYA, CAHILL, LAVINE -- Multi-Sponsored  by  --  M.  of  A.
          FARRELL, GLICK, HIKIND, PERRY -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee  on  Election  Law  -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
          reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
        AN ACT to amend the election law and the education law, in  relation  to
          making absentee ballots available in Braille and large-print
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new  section  7-107
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 7-107. Absentee ballots in Braille and large-print to be made avail-
     4  able.    1. Absentee ballots printed in Braille and large-print shall be
     5  made available upon the request of any registered voter who is blind  or
     6  visually  impaired.    Persons wishing to receive Braille or large-print
     7  absentee ballots must give notice thereof to the board of  elections  no
     8  less  than thirty days prior to each election day to enable the board to
     9  prepare and distribute such ballots.
    10    2. The state board of elections shall promulgate rules for the  prepa-
    11  ration,  distribution,  casting,  and canvass of Braille and large-print
    12  absentee ballots.   The state  board  of  elections  shall  develop  the
    13  initial  format for both Braille and large-print ballots in consultation
    14  with at least three New York state organizations with expertise  in  the
    15  field  of advocacy for people with disabilities and such other appropri-
    16  ate persons, groups, entities or organizations as  the  state  board  of
    17  elections  shall  determine.  For the purpose of this section, "Braille"
    18  refers to grade two Braille and "large-print" refers to a font of  eigh-
    19  teen  point or larger.  Upon the printing of a Braille ballot, the board
    20  of elections shall require such Braille ballot  to  be  proofread  by  a
    21  qualified  Braille reader.  The state board of elections shall establish
    22  the minimum qualifications for a Braille ballot proofreader in consulta-
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05669-03-7
        A. 4961--A                          2
     1  tion with at least three New York state organizations with expertise  in
     2  the field of advocacy for people with disabilities and such other appro-
     3  priate  persons,  groups,  entities or organizations as such board shall
     4  determine.
     5    3.  The  state board of elections shall reimburse each county board of
     6  elections in an  amount  equal  to  the  amount  such  county  board  of
     7  elections  expended  on  producing  absentee ballots in Braille or large
     8  print.
     9    § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new  section  2022-a  to
    10  read as follows:
    11    §  2022-a. Ballots in Braille and large-print to be made available. 1.
    12  Absentee ballots printed in Braille and large-print shall be made avail-
    13  able upon the request of any registered voter who is blind  or  visually
    14  impaired.  Persons  wishing  to receive Braille and large-print absentee
    15  ballots must give notice thereof no less than thirty days prior to  each
    16  election day to enable preparation and distribution of such ballots.
    17    2.   The  commissioner,  in  consultation  with  the  state  board  of
    18  elections, shall promulgate rules  for  the  preparation,  distribution,
    19  casting,  and  canvass  of Braille and large-print absentee ballots. The
    20  department shall develop the initial format for both Braille and  large-
    21  print  ballots in consultation with at least three New York state organ-
    22  izations with expertise in the field of advocacy for people  with  disa-
    23  bilities  and  such  other  appropriate  persons,  groups,  entities  or
    24  organizations as such board shall determine. For the  purposes  of  this
    25  section,  "Braille" refers to grade two Braille and "large-print" refers
    26  to a font of eighteen point or larger. Upon the printing  of  a  Braille
    27  ballot,  such  Braille  ballot shall be proofread by a qualified Braille
    28  reader. The department shall establish the minimum qualifications for  a
    29  Braille  ballot  proofreader  in  consultation  with  the state board of
    30  elections and at least three New York state organizations with expertise
    31  in the field of advocacy for people with  disabilities  and  such  other
    32  appropriate  persons,  groups, entities or organizations as such depart-
    33  ment shall determine.
    34    § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of December next succeed-
    35  ing the date on which it shall have become a law; provided  that  effec-
    36  tive  immediately,  the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or
    37  regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective
    38  date are authorized to be made on or before such effective date.