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Sponsors
10 Co-sponsors
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to election law
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Directs the state board of elections to obtain residential data on incarcerated persons to be used in creating congressional, senate, assembly, and county districts
Stricken · Sponsor Eric T. Schneiderman
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A9380
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to the residential classification of certain incarcerated persons
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would direct the State Board of Elections to obtain residential data on incarcerated persons and would require that residential data to be used in creating Congressional, Assembly and Senate Districts.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Legislative Findings Section 2: Amends the election law by adding a new section 3-112 creating the Prisoner Census Adjustment. This section would require state agencies and local governments that operate facilities for incarcerated individuals, including mental health facilities, as well as other private facilities that may incarcerate persons convicted of a criminal offense to submit a report to the State Board of Elections containing the following informa- tion:
1. The name of each person incarcerated in a facility operated by the state agency, governmental entity, or in a private facility on behalf of the state agency or governmental entity on the date for which the census reports population, who completed a census form, responded to a census inquiry or was included in any report to census officials if such infor- mation indicated that the person resided at the facility on that date.
2. The age, sex and race of each person included in the report.
3. The last address at which the person resided before the person's current incarceration. The State Board of Election would then collect such data and prepare and disseminate adjusted population counts for each geographic unit included in the census counts no later than the next September first following the date on which population counts are released for New York State by the Bureau of the Census. The Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment would be required to utilize the information compiled by the Board of Elections in the creation of Congressional, Assembly and Senate Districts.
Section 3: Effective Date
Justification
Article II, Section 4 of the New York State Constitution states that "for the purpose of voting, no person shall be deemed to have gained or lost a residence... while confined to any public prison." Under this clause, the current practice of classifying incarcerated persons as residents of their place of incarceration, rather than resi- dents of their place of residence prior to incarceration is in fact unconstitutional.
The current procedures of the U.S. Census Bureau make it difficult for the Board of Elections and the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment to adhere to this section of the State Constitution. Current census records used by the Board of Elections and
the "Task Force" count incarcerated persons as residents of the facility in which they are incarcerated.
This bill seeks to solve this problem and to bring current census prac- tices in New York State back in line with the State Constitution. It does so by requiring the State Board of Elections to prepare and dissem- inate adjusted population counts based on information from government agencies and incarceration facilities for each geographic unit included in the census counts. Those adjusted population counts will reflect the residence of incarcerated persons as their last residence prior to incarceration. All such information provided by the Board of Elections must be utilized by the "Legislative Task Force" in the drawing of any district boundaries.
Legislative history
2007/08: A4537A referred to election law
Fiscal implications
Minimal administrative costs to be determined
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.