Assembly Bill A8815A

2013-2014 Legislative Session

Provides that absentee ballots for all elections shall be made available in Braille, upon request of a blind or visually impaired voter

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Elections Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2013-A8815 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S4135
Current Committee:
Senate Elections
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §7-107, El L; add §2022-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2011-2012: S5517
2015-2016: A2104, S2848
2017-2018: A4961
2019-2020: A4247

2013-A8815 - Summary

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.

2013-A8815 - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  8815

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 18, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  WEPRIN,  CUSICK, COLTON, ENGLEBRIGHT, ORTIZ,
  ZEBROWSKI, SCARBOROUGH, MOYA, ROBINSON, CAHILL, LAVINE --  Multi-Spon-
  sored  by -- M. of A. BOYLAND, FARRELL, GLICK, HEASTIE, HIKIND, PERRY,
  WEISENBERG -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law

AN ACT to amend the election law and the education law, in  relation  to
  making  absentee  ballots  available  in  Braille and large-print; and
  providing for the repeal of certain  provisions  upon  the  expiration
  thereof

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new  section  7-107
to read as follows:
  S 7-107. ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT TO BE MADE AVAIL-
ABLE.    1. ABSENTEE BALLOTS PRINTED IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT SHALL BE
MADE AVAILABLE UPON THE REQUEST OF ANY REGISTERED VOTER WHO IS BLIND  OR
VISUALLY  IMPAIRED.    PERSONS WISHING TO RECEIVE BRAILLE OR LARGE-PRINT
ABSENTEE BALLOTS MUST GIVE NOTICE THEREOF TO THE BOARD OF  ELECTIONS  NO
LESS  THAN THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO EACH ELECTION DAY TO ENABLE THE BOARD TO
PREPARE AND DISTRIBUTE SUCH BALLOTS.
  2. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL PROMULGATE RULES FOR THE  PREPA-
RATION,  DISTRIBUTION,  CASTING,  AND CANVASS OF BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.   THE STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL  DEVELOP  THE
INITIAL  FORMAT FOR BOTH BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT BALLOTS IN CONSULTATION
WITH AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE  IN  THE
FIELD  OF ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SUCH OTHER APPROPRI-
ATE PERSONS, GROUPS, ENTITIES OR ORGANIZATIONS AS  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF
ELECTIONS  SHALL  DETERMINE.  FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION, "BRAILLE"
REFERS TO GRADE TWO BRAILLE AND "LARGE-PRINT" REFERS TO A FONT OF  EIGH-
TEEN  POINT OR LARGER.  UPON THE PRINTING OF A BRAILLE BALLOT, THE BOARD
OF ELECTIONS SHALL REQUIRE SUCH BRAILLE BALLOT  TO  BE  PROOFREAD  BY  A
QUALIFIED  BRAILLE READER.  THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL ESTABLISH
THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR A BRAILLE BALLOT PROOFREADER IN CONSULTA-
TION WITH AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE  IN
THE FIELD OF ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SUCH OTHER APPRO-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2013-A8815A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S4135
Current Committee:
Senate Elections
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §7-107, El L; add §2022-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2011-2012: S5517
2015-2016: A2104, S2848
2017-2018: A4961
2019-2020: A4247

2013-A8815A (ACTIVE) - Summary

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.

2013-A8815A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 8815--A

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 18, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  WEPRIN,  CUSICK, COLTON, ENGLEBRIGHT, ORTIZ,
  ZEBROWSKI, SCARBOROUGH, MOYA, ROBINSON, CAHILL, LAVINE --  Multi-Spon-
  sored  by -- M.  of A. FARRELL, GLICK, HEASTIE, HIKIND, PERRY, WEISEN-
  BERG -- read once and referred to the Committee  on  Election  Law  --
  reported  and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means -- 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:

  Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new  section  7-107
to read as follows:
  S 7-107. ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT TO BE MADE AVAIL-
ABLE.    1. ABSENTEE BALLOTS PRINTED IN BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT SHALL BE
MADE AVAILABLE UPON THE REQUEST OF ANY REGISTERED VOTER WHO IS BLIND  OR
VISUALLY  IMPAIRED.    PERSONS WISHING TO RECEIVE BRAILLE OR LARGE-PRINT
ABSENTEE BALLOTS MUST GIVE NOTICE THEREOF TO THE BOARD OF  ELECTIONS  NO
LESS  THAN THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO EACH ELECTION DAY TO ENABLE THE BOARD TO
PREPARE AND DISTRIBUTE SUCH BALLOTS.
  2. THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL PROMULGATE RULES FOR THE  PREPA-
RATION,  DISTRIBUTION,  CASTING,  AND CANVASS OF BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT
ABSENTEE BALLOTS.   THE STATE  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS  SHALL  DEVELOP  THE
INITIAL  FORMAT FOR BOTH BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT BALLOTS IN CONSULTATION
WITH AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE  IN  THE
FIELD  OF ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SUCH OTHER APPROPRI-
ATE PERSONS, GROUPS, ENTITIES OR ORGANIZATIONS AS  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF
ELECTIONS  SHALL  DETERMINE.  FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION, "BRAILLE"
REFERS TO GRADE TWO BRAILLE AND "LARGE-PRINT" REFERS TO A FONT OF  EIGH-
TEEN  POINT OR LARGER.  UPON THE PRINTING OF A BRAILLE BALLOT, THE BOARD
OF ELECTIONS SHALL REQUIRE SUCH BRAILLE BALLOT  TO  BE  PROOFREAD  BY  A
QUALIFIED  BRAILLE READER.  THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL ESTABLISH
THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR A BRAILLE BALLOT PROOFREADER IN CONSULTA-
TION WITH AT LEAST THREE NEW YORK STATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH EXPERTISE  IN

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

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