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S2866Senate2009-2010 Session

Provides that attorneys licensed to practice in the state may serve as a poll watcher in any city or county in the state

Sponsor Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.SD-15Affects Public Safety & Consumer Affairs
Status
In Assembly Committee
Election Law
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 5 of 7

In Assembly · Election Law

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.

Senator · Senate District 15

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Referred to election law
  2. Delivered to assembly
  3. Passed senateVote 32–29
  4. Advanced to third reading
  5. 2nd report cal.
  6. 1st report cal.528
  7. Print number 2866a
  8. Amend and recommit to elections
  9. Referred to elections
  10. Returned to senate
  11. Died in assembly
  12. Ordered to third reading cal.242
Show 8 earlier actions
  1. Substituted for A5706
  2. Referred to election law
  3. Delivered to assembly
  4. Passed senateVote 32–29
  5. Advanced to third reading
  6. 2nd report cal.
  7. 1st report cal.103
  8. Referred to elections

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

Title of bill

An act to amend the election law, in relation to watchers

Purpose

The bill authorizes attorneys to be poll watchers anywhere in New York if they are state residents and licensed to practice law in the state.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Amends Election Law section 8-500(4) to allow attorneys who are state residents and licensed to practice law in the state to require be watchers anywhere in the State.

Section 2: Provides for the Act to take effect immediately.

Existing law

Under current law, a poll watcher must be registered to vote in the county in which he is to serve.

Justification

Attorneys licensed to practice law in New York are not restricted in their practices to any locality or court. They may practice before any court in the state, as well as before the boards of elections everywhere in the state. They are also trained as observers and to accurately report their observations. There should be no restriction on their ability to be in a polling place on election day, where their skills can be invaluable in both detecting improper conduct, such as voter intimidation and suppression, and electioneering, and in obtaining a quick resolution of such unlawful conduct by reporting it to the appropriate authorities, including election day judges. For example, in 2006 lawyers serving as poll watchers enabled Senator Andrea Steward-Cousins to win election by acting to stop disruptions and voter suppression and intimidation actions in the polls in Yonkers.

Legislative history

None.

Fiscal implications

None.

Local fiscal implications

None.

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.