What's happening
This bill requires New York City election boards to provide Haitian Creole voting materials and information, including a citywide voter booklet.
Why it matters
Expands access to voting for Haitian Creole speakers by mandating official election materials and instructions in their language, helping to reduce language barriers and potential confusion at the polls.
Requires comprehensive coverage—not just ballots, but also voter registration forms, absentee ballot instructions, and general voter FAQs—ensuring Haitian Creole speakers are informed throughout the entire voting process.
Aims to increase civic participation and voter turnout within New York City's Haitian community, which has historically faced challenges due to limited English proficiency and lack of language-appropriate resources.
Sets a precedent for broader language inclusion in election materials, potentially encouraging similar accommodations for other linguistic communities in the future.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Haitian Creole Voting Materials
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
12 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- 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.
Haitian Creole Voting Materials
In Senate Committee · Elections · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3025
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE, MOSLEY, HYNDMAN, WALKER, L. ROSENTHAL, SOLAGES, JAFFEE, BLAKE, GOTTFRIED, COLTON, JEAN-PIERRE, JOYNER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, RAMOS, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to providing Haitian Creole language voting materials
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 3-507 to read as follows:
§ 3-507. Boards of elections; voting materials in Haitian Creole. A board of elections in a city with a population of over one million shall provide the same information in Haitian Creole that it provides in languages other than English on its website. It shall also produce and disseminate citywide a booklet that includes: (a) a voter registration form in English with instructions in Haitian Creole; (b) instructions in Haitian Creole regarding the criteria and application process for obtaining an absentee ballot; and (c) a section with general voter information in Haitian Creole including frequently asked questions. Such board may include other languages on its website and in such booklet.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding that date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00110-01-9
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.