S2191-2013 Actions

• Jan 14, 2013: REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

S2191-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S2191

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the election law, in relation to permit-
ting election inspectors to split shifts

PURPOSE:    The purpose of this bill is to permit boards of elections to
allow election inspectors to split shifts,  and  prorate  their  compen-
sation accordingly.

SUMMARY  OF PROVISIONS:   Subdivision 7 of Section 3-400 of the Election
Law is amended to permit all boards of elections to  authorize  election
inspectors  to  work split shifts and prorate their compensation accord-
ingly.

JUSTIFICATION:   Currently, election inspectors  are  not  permitted  to
split  the  work  day into shifts. During most elections, polls are open
for an average of sixteen hours. Election workers are not only  required
to  work  during polling hours, but there is additional time required to
prep and close down polling sites. Their job  duties  are  essential  to
protecting  the  integrity and validity of our democratic process. It is
difficult for many inspectors,  especially  our  senior  volunteers,  to
commit  to  the long and taxing hours of an election day.  Additionally,
it is becoming increasingly difficult to  recruit  new  inspectors,  and
with the implementation of new computerized voting machines, recruitment
and  retention  levels  are  expected to drop further. Allowing election
workers to divide their shifts will  increase  the  pool  of  candidates
available  to  contribute  their  time  to  the most critical element of
democracy.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2011, 2012: S. 756-B Referred to  Elections  2009,
2010:  S.1097/A.1126  Referred  to  Elections  2007, 2008: S.366/A.11517
Referred to Rules 2006: S.7557 Referred to Elections

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  One hundred eightieth day after it  shall  have  become
law.

S2191-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         2191
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 14, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  YOUNG, DeFRANCISCO, RANZENHOFER -- read twice and
 ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
 Elections
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the election law, in relation to permitting election
 inspectors to split shifts
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section  1.  Subdivision  7  of  section 3-400 of the election law, as
 added by chapter 5 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:

 7. [The] EVERY board of  elections  may  [employ]  AUTHORIZE  election
 inspectors  to  work  [half-day]  SPLIT  shifts with [adjusted] PRORATED
 compensation, provided, however, that at least one inspector  from  each
 of  the  two major political parties is present at the poll site for the
 entire time that the polls are open.   Each county  board  of  elections
 shall prescribe the necessary rules and procedures to ensure proper poll
 site operation.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall  have  become  a law; provided that each board of elections is
 authorized to promulgate any rules necessary to implement the provisions
 of this act on or before such effective date.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD06499-01-3

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