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A4984Assembly2017-2018 SessionSame asS3405

Let Lawyers Watch Polls

Official title

“Provides that attorneys licensed to practice in the state or law students who attend an American Bar Association accredited law school, may serve as a poll watcher in any city or county in the state”

Sponsor David WeprinAD-24+7 co-sponsorsAffects Public Safety & Consumer Affairs
Status
In Assembly Committee
Rules
Impact
3/10
Low
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Rules

What's happening

This bill allows New York State resident attorneys licensed to practice law to serve as election watchers.

Why it matters

  1. Expands the pool of eligible election watchers. by allowing New York-licensed attorneys who are state residents to serve, beyond just local qualified voters, potentially increasing the number and expertise of available watchers.

  2. Introduces legal expertise into the election observation process. , which could lead to more knowledgeable oversight and quicker identification or resolution of legal issues at polling sites.

  3. May impact the impartiality concerns or perceptions of the election process. , as attorneys—who may be affiliated with campaigns, parties, or advocacy organizations—could be seen as more adversarial or strategic in their roles compared to typical local watchers.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Let Lawyers Watch Polls

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
David Weprin

Assembly Member · Assembly District 24

Chair, Insurance

History

  1. Reported referred to rules
  2. Referred to election law
  3. 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.

S3405Senate

Let Lawyers Watch Polls

In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker

Impact 3 · Low0% to pass

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

4984

2017-2018 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

February 6, 2017

Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, BUCHWALD, OTIS, ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law

AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to watchers

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 8-500 of the election law, as amended by chapter 254 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:

4. Each watcher must be a qualified voter of the city or county in which he or she is to serve. No person shall be appointed or act as a watcher who is a candidate for any public office to be voted for by the voters of the election district in the same election in which the watcher is to serve. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as prohibiting any such candidate from visiting a polling place in such district on an election day while the polls are open, or an attorney who is a New York state resident and is licensed to practice law therein.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD07512-01-7

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.