Assembly Bill A4961B

2017-2018 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

  • 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

2017-A4961 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8775
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §7-107, El L; add §2022-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2013-2014: A8815
2015-2016: A2104, S5085
2019-2020: A4247, S3447
2021-2022: S4210

2017-A4961 - 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.

2017-A4961 - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4961
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             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
 
 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:
   § 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.

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2017-A4961A - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8775
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §7-107, El L; add §2022-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2013-2014: A8815
2015-2016: A2104, S5085
2019-2020: A4247, S3447
2021-2022: S4210

2017-A4961A - 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.

2017-A4961A - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4961--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             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:
 
   Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new  section  7-107
 to read as follows:
   § 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-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

co-Sponsors

multi-Sponsors

2017-A4961B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S8775
Law Section:
Election Law
Laws Affected:
Add §7-107, El L; add §2022-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2013-2014: A8815
2015-2016: A2104, S5085
2019-2020: A4247, S3447
2021-2022: S4210

2017-A4961B (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.

2017-A4961B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4961--B
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             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  --  again
   reported  from  said  committee  with amendments, 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:
   § 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

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