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BILL NUMBER:S617

TITLE OF BILL: CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an amendment to section 5 of article 2 of the constitution, in relation to the ten day advance registration requirement

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: This bill amends section 5 of article 2 of the constitution to eliminate the ten day advance voter registration requirement. If adopted, the legislature would set guidelines for this provision.

JUSTIFICATION: This legislation seeks to remove the ten day advance voter registration requirement. With voter turnout at an all time low, allowing same day registration would increase and encourage greater participation. This increased participation would only prove beneficial to the political process.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2012: Senate Bill 1978 (Gianaris) - Died in Senate Judiciary Committee 2012: Assembly Bill 1686 (Kavanagh) - Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee 2010: Senate Bill 1616 (Valesky) - Died in Senate Judiciary Committee 2010: Assembly Bill 3734 (Gianaris) - Died in Assembly Election Law Committee 2008: Senate Bill 5013 (Valesky) - Died in Senate Judiciary Committee 2008: Assembly Bill 4258 (Gianaris) - Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee 2006: Assembly Bill 9227 (Gianaris) - Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee 2005: Assembly Bill 1598 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee 2004: Senate Bill 4666 (Lachman) - Died in Senate Judiciary Committee 2004: Assembly Bill 5800 (Stringer) Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee 2002: Senate Bill 774 (Dollinger) - Died in Senate Judiciary Committee

 2002: Assembly Bill 5299 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee 2000: Senate Bill 989 (Dellinger) - Died in Senate Judiciary Committee 2000: Assembly Bill 9479 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Judiciary Committee

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This amendment may be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the next succeeding general election of members of the Assembly, and, in conformity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for three months previous to the time of such election.

Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________

617

2013-2014 Regular Sessions

IN SENATE

(PREFILED)

January 9, 2013
___________

Introduced  by Sen. GIANARIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary

            CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

proposing an amendment to section 5 of article 2 of the constitution, in
  relation to the ten day advance registration requirement

  Section 1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 5 of  arti-
cle 2 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
  S  5. Laws shall be made for ascertaining, by proper proofs, the citi-
zens who shall be entitled to the right of suffrage hereby  established,
and  for  the  registration  of  voters[;  which  registration  shall be
completed at least ten days before each election] WITH SUCH PROVISION AS
IN THE JUDGMENT OF THE LEGISLATURE  IS  ADEQUATE  TO  SAFEGUARD  AGAINST
DECEPTION  IN  THE EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.  Such registration
shall not be required for town and village elections except  by  express
provision of law.
  S  2.  Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing amendment
be referred to the first regular legislative session convening after the
next succeeding general election of members of  the  assembly,  and,  in
conformity  with  section  1  of  article  19  of  the  constitution, be
published for three months previous to the time of such election.




 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD89014-01-3