What's happening
This bill authorizes voting-related messages, such as election and registration deadlines, to be displayed on highway variable message signs in New York.
Why it matters
Expands Access to Critical Voting Information. By allowing voting deadlines and election dates to be displayed on highway signs, the bill aims to inform a wider cross-section of the public—including those who may not be reached by traditional outreach—potentially increasing voter registration and turnout.
Promotes Consistency and Accuracy. The requirement that the Department of Transportation and local jurisdictions consult the State Board of Elections before displaying messages helps ensure that the information shown is both accurate and uniform statewide, reducing confusion or misinformation.
Balances Public Safety and Voting Awareness. The bill explicitly allows emergency alerts and other urgent transportation messages to take priority over voting-related content, ensuring that critical safety communications are not displaced by election messages.
Safeguards Federal Funding Compliance. By prohibiting the display of voting messages if federal authorities warn that such use would violate regulations or risk federal highway funds, the legislation protects New York’s transportation funding stream while expanding civic messaging.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Highway Signs Promote Voting
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 42–18
- Ordered to third reading cal.4
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to elections
- Referred to rules
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.
Show Voting Info on Highways
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Carmen E. Arroyo
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6805
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
October 25, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MYRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to authorizing variable message signs placed within the right of way of highways to display certain voting related communications
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 332 to read as follows:
§ 332. Variable message signs; voting related communications. (a) The commissioner is authorized to place, cause to be placed, or permit to be placed permanent or portable variable message signs within the right of way of any highway over which he or she has jurisdiction, displaying voting related communications including without limitation:
(i) notice of the deadline to register to vote beginning the fifth day prior to the respective deadline for a statewide primary or general election; and
(ii) notice of any statewide general, primary, or special election for any statewide public office, beginning three days prior to and including election day.
(b) Provided that it does not interfere with state or federal law or regulation, any political subdivision of the state having jurisdiction over any highway is authorized to place, cause to be placed, or permit to be placed permanent or portable variable message signs displaying voting related communications within the right of way of such highway, including without limitation:
(i) notice of the deadline to register to vote beginning the fifth day prior to the respective deadline for a statewide primary or general election; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14043-01-9
S. 6805 2
(ii) notice of any statewide general, primary, or special election for any statewide public office, beginning three days prior to and including election day.
(c) The commissioner shall consult the state board of elections prior to displaying voting related communications to ensure that such communications are uniform and accurate. Any political subdivision of the state having jurisdiction over any highway shall consult the state board of elections prior to displaying voting related communications to ensure that such communications are uniform and accurate.
(d) For purposes of this section, the term "variable message signs" shall include changeable message signs as adopted by the federal highway safety administration's manual on uniform traffic control devices, dynamic message signs developed as part of the national transportation communication for ITS protocol, and variable message signs as defined by the commissioner.
(e) The commissioner may give priority to other appropriate variable message sign communications, including, but not limited to, the display of emergency alerts, amber alerts, missing vulnerable adult alerts, missing or exploited children alerts and other transportation related messages, over the communications authorized pursuant to this section.
§ 2. No information authorized to be displayed on a variable message sign pursuant to section 332 of the highway law as added by this act shall be displayed if advised by the United States Department of Transportation or any of its agencies that the display of such information will interfere with federal law or regulation or result in the reduction of federal aid highway funds.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law. The department of transportation and state board of elections are authorized to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date on or before such 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 highway law, in relation to authorizing variable message signs placed within the right of way of highways to display certain voting related communications
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill authorizes the commissioner of the Department of Transporta- tion ("DOT") and local municipalities to place variable message signs along highways that display election and voting related messages during certain times of the year.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one adds a new section 332 to the Highway Law providing the Department of Transportation Commissioner with authority to place vari- able message boards with election and voting related messages along any highway under which the state has jurisdiction. The term "variable message boards" is defined within the bill. Such signs could display messages including, without limitation:
(1) notice of the deadline to register to vote beginning five days before such deadline; and
(2) notice of any upcoming primary, general, or special election for any statewide election beginning three days before said election and includ- ing said day.
The section also authorizes any political subdivision within the state to place variable message signs displaying the above referenced voting related on local highways as well, subject to the restrictions above.
The commissioner of DOT and local municipalities shall consult with the State Board of Elections prior to displaying voter related communi- cations to ensure such communications are uniform and accurate.
The bill also provides DOT with flexibility to give priority to any other message sign communications, including, but not limited to emer- gency alerts, amber alerts, missing vulnerable adult alerts, as well as other transportation related messages.
Justification
This bill would authorize the state and local municipalities to display voting notification related signs during key times in an election cycle. New York's voter participation rates continue to lag behind other states in the union. This proposal will increase voter awareness at a minimal cost.
Prior legislative history
S.7369 of 2018 sponsored by Senator Dilan 1/10/2018 - referred to Trans- portation committee
Fiscal implications
Minimal; the equipment to display such signs is already owned by the state and local political subdivisions.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law. The department of transportation and state board of elections are both authorized to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date or before such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.