Bill Text: NY S00578 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Amended

New York Senate Bill 578 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relates to the text of proposed constitutional amendments and questions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-06 - REFERRED TO ELECTIONS [S00578 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-S00578-Amended.html

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        578--B
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by Sen. SQUADRON -- 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  --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered
         reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
       AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the  text  of  proposed
         constitutional amendments and questions
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Section 4-108 of the election law, paragraph b of  subdivi-
    2  sion  1  as  amended  by chapter 117 of the laws of 1985, paragraph d of
    3  subdivision 1 and subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 136 of the laws of
    4  1978, and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 234 of the laws of 1976,  is
    5  amended to read as follows:
    6    S 4-108. Certification of proposed constitutional amendments and ques-
    7  tions.    1.  a.  Whenever any proposed amendment to the constitution or
    8  other question provided by law to be submitted to a statewide vote shall
    9  be submitted to the people  for  their  approval,  the  state  board  of
   10  elections  at  least three months prior to the general election at which
   11  such amendment, proposition or question is to be  submitted,  shall  (I)
   12  transmit  to each county board of elections a certified copy of the text
   13  of each amendment, proposition or question and a statement of  the  form
   14  in  which  it is to be submitted; AND (II) PUBLISH A COPY OF THE TEXT OF
   15  EACH AMENDMENT, PROPOSITION OR QUESTION AND A STATEMENT OF THE  FORM  IN
   16  WHICH  IT  IS  TO  BE  SUBMITTED ON THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE
   17  UNTIL THE DAY AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION OF THAT PARTICULAR YEAR.
   18    b. Whenever any proposal, proposition or referendum as provided by law
   19  is to be submitted to a vote of the people  of  a  county,  city,  town,
   20  village  or  special  district, at an election conducted by the board of
   21  elections, the clerk of such political subdivision, at least  thirty-six
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00964-03-5
       S. 578--B                           2
    1  days prior to the election at which such proposal, proposition or refer-
    2  endum  is  to  be submitted, shall transmit to each board of elections a
    3  certified copy of the text of such proposal, proposition  or  referendum
    4  and a statement of the form in which it is to be submitted. If a special
    5  election  is  to  be  held, such transmittal shall also give the date of
    6  such election.
    7    c. Such certified copy shall set out all new  matter  in  italics  and
    8  enclose  in brackets, [     ], all matter to be eliminated from existing
    9  law, and at the bottom of each page shall be appended the words:
   10    Explanation: Matter in italics is new, to be added; matter in brackets
   11  [    ] is old law, to be omitted.
   12    d. In addition to the text, AS REQUIRED  UNDER  PARAGRAPH  A  OF  THIS
   13  SUBDIVISION, such transmittal shall contain an abstract of such proposed
   14  amendment,  proposition  or  question,  [prepared  by the state board of
   15  elections] concisely stating the purpose and effect thereof in  a  clear
   16  and coherent manner using words with common and everyday meanings.
   17    2.  The  form in which the proposed amendment, proposition or question
   18  is to be submitted shall consist of only an abbreviated title indicating
   19  generally and briefly, and in a  clear,  UNBIASED  and  coherent  manner
   20  using  words  with  common and every-day meanings, the subject matter of
   21  the amendment, proposition or question. If more than one such amendment,
   22  proposition or question is to be voted upon at such election, each  such
   23  amendment,  proposition or question respectively shall be separately and
   24  consecutively numbered.
   25    3. The attorney general shall [advise in the preparation  of]  PREPARE
   26  AND DELIVER such abstract and such form of submission, AS REQUIRED UNDER
   27  PARAGRAPHS  A  AND  D  OF  SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, TO THE STATE
   28  BOARD OF ELECTIONS AT LEAST FOUR MONTHS PRIOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTION AT
   29  WHICH SUCH AMENDMENT, PROPOSITION OR QUESTION IS TO BE SUBMITTED.
   30    S 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
   31  law.