What's happening
This bill prohibits private individuals or entities from paying for administrative expenses related to conducting referendums in New York.
Why it matters
Limits outside influence on referendums. By banning private funding for administrative costs of referendums, the bill aims to prevent wealthy individuals, corporations, or interest groups from gaining disproportionate influence over the process of putting ballot questions before voters.
Ensures public accountability for referendum expenses. All costs for conducting referendums—such as paying for voting equipment, materials, and election workers—must be paid by government entities, increasing transparency and ensuring these processes remain under public oversight.
Could impact local government budgets and referendum frequency. With private contributions prohibited, local governments may have to allocate more of their own resources to cover the costs of referendums, potentially affecting how often such votes are held or what issues are brought to ballot.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Bar Private Funding for Referendums
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.222
- Rules report cal.222
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to election law
- 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.
Ban Private Funding for Referendums
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Kevin Thomas
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2644
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 24, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. LAVINE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to prohibiting private individuals or entities to pay for the administrative expenses associated with the conduct of a referendum
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 1-108 to read as follows:
§ 1-108. Expenses related to local mandatory and permissive referendum. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no private individual, partnership, corporation, industry, association, organization, firm, trust, estate or other legal entity not associated with the state or a municipality shall directly or indirectly pay or use or offer, consent to or agree to pay or use any money or property for or in aid of the payment of any expense incurred or expected to be incurred by the state or any county, city, town, village or special district, which expense is associated with the conduct of a mandatory or permissive referendum conducted for the purpose of deciding any ballot question submitted to all the voters of any county, city, town, village or special district. Such expenses shall include, but not be limited to the costs associated with equipment, materials and personnel utilized to conduct the referendum.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04596-01-9
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.