What's happening
This bill establishes the New York State Early Voting Fund, using abandoned property funds to reimburse counties for early voting expenses.
Why it matters
Provides a dedicated, predictable funding stream for counties and New York City to cover the real costs of early voting, reducing financial uncertainty for local governments.
Uses abandoned property funds—money otherwise sitting unused—to support democratic participation without creating new taxes or fees, potentially making early voting implementation more politically and fiscally palatable.
Sets up an accountability framework by requiring counties to document and justify their early voting expenses, which may help ensure funds are spent directly on voter access rather than unrelated costs.
Empowers the state board of elections and comptroller to make and enforce rules for fund disbursement, helping streamline the process and potentially standardize early voting practices across the state.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fund Early Voting Costs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to finance
- Referred to rules
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6688
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 13, 2017
Introduced by Sen. STEWART-COUSINS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the New York state early voting fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 92-t to read as follows:
§ 92-t. New York state early voting fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of taxation and finance a fund to be known as the New York state early voting fund.
2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received from the abandoned property fund pursuant to subdivision five of section ninety-five of this article.
3. Moneys of the fund, following appropriation by the legislature, may be expended for the purpose of making payments to the board of elections of each county and the city of New York to reimburse any actual costs incurred by such boards of elections to provide polling places for early voting, including the cost of staffing such polling places, in any general, primary, or special election in which early voting is required by the election law. Moneys shall be paid out of the fund upon audit and warrant by the state comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the state board of elections, or its duly designated representative, in the manner prescribed by law.
4. Boards of elections seeking moneys from this fund shall submit documentation detailing the costs described in subdivision three of this section in a manner prescribed by the state board of elections.
5. The state board of elections and state comptroller shall issue any such rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11987-01-7
S. 6688 2
§ 2. Section 95 of the state finance law is amended by adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
5. (a) As often as necessary, the co-chairs of the state board of elections shall certify the amount such co-chairs have determined necessary to fund estimated payments from the New York state early voting fund established by section ninety-two-t of this article.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this section authorizing the transfer of any moneys in the abandoned property fund to the general fund, the comptroller, after reserving amounts sufficient to pay claims against the abandoned property fund, shall, based upon a certification of the state board of elections pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision, and at the direction of the director of the budget, transfer the requested amount from remaining available monies in the abandoned property fund to the New York state early voting fund established by section ninety-two-t of this article.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day 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 are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the New York state early voting fund
Purpose
This bill provides a mechanism to reimburse local boards of elections for the costs associated with early voting in elections.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill amends the State Finance Law by adding a new section 92-t.
-Subdivision 1 of the new section 92-t establishes the New York State Early Voting Fund.
-Subdivision 2 of the new section 92-t states that the fund would consist of revenue received from the Abandoned Property Fund pursuant to subdivision 5 of section 95 of the State Finance Law.
-Subdivision 3 of the new section 92-t provides that the fund may be used to reimburse the board of elections of each county and the City of New York for any actual costs incurred as a result of early voting required by the election law.
-Subdivision 4 of the new section 92-t states that boards of elections seeking reimbursements for early voting shall submit documentation of their costs to the State Board of Elections.
-Subdivision 5 of the new section 92-t provides that the State Board of Elections and the State Comptroller shall issue any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of the section.
Section two of the bill amends section 95 of the State Finance Law by adding a new subdivision 5, which allows for the transfer of funds from the Abandoned Property Fund to the new early voting fund in an amount determined necessary by the State Board of Elections.
Section three of the bill sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Given the vital role that voting plays in a participatory democracy, New York should ensure that our elections are run in ways that meet contemporary standards for accessibility, equity, and efficiency. Providing eligible voters the opportunity to vote in person during a designated period before election day would be a major step towards achieving this goal.
One objection raised to establishing early voting in New York State is the cost to local boards of elections. The bill addresses this issue by reimbursing counties for the costs of early voting through the abandoned property fund.
Fiscal impact on the state
Funds transferred from the Abandoned Property Fund to the New York State Early Voting Fund will be diverted from the General Fund.
Fiscal impact on localities
This bill will provide localities with funds to offset any actual costs incurred by local boards of elections for providing early voting. IMPACT ON REGULATION OF BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS :
None.
Impact on fines, imprisonment, forfeiture of rights, or other penal sanctions
None.
Legislative history
New bill.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day 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 are authorized and directed to be made completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.