S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 4055 2009-2010 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E April 8, 2009 ___________ Introduced by Sen. ALESI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions AN ACT to amend the religious corporations law, in relation to the age eligibility of members to vote and hold office in the protestant epis- copal parishes THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 6 of section 43 of the religious corporations 2 law, as amended by chapter 171 of the laws of 1974, is amended to read 3 as follows: 4 6. Persons of full age belonging to the parish, who have been baptized 5 and are regular attendants at its worship and contributors to its 6 support for at least twelve months prior to such election or special 7 meeting or since the establishment of such parish, shall be qualified 8 voters at any such election or special meeting. Whenever so permitted 9 by the canons of the diocese, persons of less than full age, but of the 10 age of [eighteen] SIXTEEN years or more, and having like qualifications 11 except as to age, may vote at the annual elections and special meetings 12 of any parish of such diocese, whenever such parish shall so determine 13 in the manner provided in [said] section forty-six OF THIS ARTICLE. 14 S 2. Section 49 of the religious corporations law, as amended by chap- 15 ter 900 of the laws of 1972, is amended to read as follows: 16 S 49. Eligibility of certain minors as lay delegates and to vote and 17 hold office. Whenever the constitution or canons of a diocese of the 18 Protestant Episcopal church in the state of New York so permits, persons 19 of less than full age but of the age of [eighteen] SIXTEEN years or more 20 shall be eligible to serve as lay delegates to and to vote at any 21 convention of the diocese, when duly chosen by the parish or mission and 22 shall also be eligible for election to or appointment to any lay office 23 of the diocese. 24 S 3. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08486-01-9