S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3919
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE HERMELYN, WALKER, HYNDMAN, L. ROSENTHAL,
   JEAN-PIERRE,  JOYNER  --  read  once  and referred to the Committee on
   Election Law
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to providing voting  mate-
   rials and assistance in Haitian Creole

   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  3-507
 to read as follows:
   §  3-507.  BOARD  OF  ELECTIONS;  VOTING  MATERIALS  AND ASSISTANCE IN
 HAITIAN CREOLE.  A BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN A  CITY  OF  OVER  ONE  MILLION
 SHALL:
   (A)  PROVIDE  ALL  INFORMATION  THAT  IS  PROVIDED  BY SUCH A BOARD OF
 ELECTIONS IN ENGLISH ABOUT THE ELECTORAL PROCESS, INCLUDING REGISTRATION
 OR VOTING NOTICES, FORMS, INSTRUCTIONS, VOTING SYSTEMS,  BALLOT  MARKING
 DEVICES  AND  BALLOTS  IN  HAITIAN  CREOLE TO THE EXTENT NEEDED TO ALLOW
 VOTERS WHO SPEAK HAITIAN CREOLE TO PARTICIPATE EFFECTIVELY IN THE  ELEC-
 TORAL  PROCESS  AND  ALL  VOTING-CONNECTED  ACTIVITIES.  SUCH  BOARD  OF
 ELECTIONS SHALL ALSO PROVIDE THE SAME INFORMATION IN HAITIAN CREOLE THAT
 IT PROVIDES IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH ON ITS WEBSITE.  SUCH  BOARD
 OF  ELECTIONS SHALL ALSO PRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE CITYWIDE A BOOKLET THAT
 INCLUDES: (1) A VOTER REGISTRATION FORM IN ENGLISH WITH INSTRUCTIONS  IN
 HAITIAN  CREOLE; (2) INSTRUCTIONS IN HAITIAN CREOLE REGARDING THE CRITE-
 RIA AND APPLICATION PROCESS FOR OBTAINING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT; AND (3)  A
 SECTION  WITH  GENERAL  VOTER  INFORMATION  IN  HAITIAN CREOLE INCLUDING
 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. SUCH BOARD MAY INCLUDE  OTHER  LANGUAGES  ON
 ITS WEBSITE AND IN SUCH BOOKLET.
   (B)  PROVIDE  ONE OR MORE HAITIAN CREOLE-SPEAKING INTERPRETERS AT EACH
 POLLING LOCATION IN ELECTION DISTRICTS IN ANY COUNTY THAT  HAS  A  POPU-
 LATION COMPRISED OF FIVE PERCENT OR MORE OF PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS BEING
 HAITIAN  ACCORDING  TO  THE  MOST  RECENT  UNITED STATES CENSUS, FOR THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07268-01-3
              

 A. 3919                             2
 
 PURPOSE OF ASSISTING VOTERS WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE IS  HAITIAN  CREOLE  TO
 PARTICIPATE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE VOTING PROCESS.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.  Effective immediately the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such date.