BILL NUMBER: S1669
SPONSOR: WALCZYK
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law, in relation to the registration and
enrollment of voters
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To allow individuals the opportunity to register at the same time they
apply for a hunting license, fishing license, and any combination of
both.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Allows for any qualified individual to apply for voter regis-
tration simultaneously with their application for a hunting
license,fishing license, or any combination of both.
Section 2: Requires the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
with the approval of the Board of Elections to design a form that will
serve as an application for registration and enrollment. Clarifies that
DEC will incur the costs for the creation of such form.
Section 3: Outlines the required provisions of the voter registration
portion of the form.
Section 4: Requires the form to bear certain questions, statements, and
information.
Section 5: Requires DEC to retain the form that declines voter registra-
tion for a certain time period.
Section 6: Requires DEC to transmit the voter registration form to the
appropriate Board of Elections.
Section 7: Requires DEC to transmit applications within certain time
frames.
Section 8: Prohibits the disclosure of voter registration information
for any other purpose than voter registration by DEC or its employees.
Section 9: Requires Board of Elections to process the application and
send appropriate notice of approval or rejection.
Section 10: Requires strict neutrality with respect to an individual's
party enrollment and all individuals seeking registration shall be told
that government services are not conditioned on being registered to
vote.
Section 11: Prohibits any statement or action from being made to
discourage an individual from registering to vote.
Section 12: Requires DEC to provide any individual who chooses to regis-
ter to vote the same assistance as the individual would be given to fill
out the DEC forms.
Section 13: Requires the State Board of Elections to promulgate rules
and regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of
this act.
Section 14: The State Board of Elections shall develop and distribute
public information and promotional material relating to the implementa-
tion of this program.
Section 15: Requires the State Board of Elections to prepare and
distribute written instruction to the DEC and shall be responsible for
establishing training programs for DEC employees.
Section 16: Requires DEC to take all actions which are necessary for the
implementation of the program. Directs the DEC to designate at least one
person within the agency as the voter registration coordinator.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In 1993 the National Voter Registration Act was enacted by Congress.
Part of this law included provisions that required states to provide all
citizens the opportunity to register to vote when they apply for or
renew a driver's license. It then directs the Department of Motor Vehi-
cles to forward the application to the appropriate election official.
The enactment of the "motor voter" law has led to an increase in the
number of registered voters in New York State and throughout the coun-
try. While the "motor voter" law has been successful, there is still a
large population of individuals who do not operate a motor vehicle and
therefore do not have access to this convenient voter registration meth-
od.
This legislation is designed to expand on the ideas set forth in the
"motor voter" law to hunting and fishing licenses. Under this proposal,
the Department of Environmental Conservation must amend its hunting and
fishing license applications to include an application for voter regis-
tration, similar to the current driver's license application. In New
York State there are more than 2 million licensed hunters and anglers.
These citizens will have the opportunity to register to vote in a simi-
lar manner of ease as provided under the "motor voter" provisions. The
effect of this law will be far reaching as it will present New Yorkers
with a simple voter registration option which will increase the number
of registered voters in this state and help to further develop wide-
spread participation in New York State elections.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A10374 (2005): Referred to Elections
A3875 (2007): Referred to Elections
A2960 (2009): Referred to Elections
A4222/S6531 (2011): Referred to Elections
A4903/S2801 (2013): Referred to Elections
A4982 (2015): Referred to Elections
A3562 (2017): Referred to Elections
A4985 (2019): Referred to Elections
A6422/S6248 (2021): Referred to Elections
A5061/S4380 (2023): Referred to Elections
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One hundred and eighty days after it shall have become a law; provided,
however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date is authorized and directed to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.