STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6355 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 5, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, COLTON, ZEBROWSKI, LAVINE, VANEL, SIMON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law AN ACT to amend the election law and the education law, in relation to making absentee ballots available in Braille and large-print The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The election law is amended by adding a new section 7-107 2 to read as follows: 3 § 7-107. Absentee ballots in Braille and large-print to be made avail- 4 able. 1. Absentee ballots printed in Braille and large-print shall be 5 made available upon the request of any registered voter who is blind or 6 visually impaired. Persons wishing to receive Braille or large-print 7 absentee ballots shall give notice thereof to the board of elections no 8 less than thirty days prior to each election day to enable the board to 9 prepare and distribute such ballots. 10 2. The state board of elections shall promulgate rules for the prepa- 11 ration, distribution, casting, and canvass of Braille and large-print 12 absentee ballots. The state board of elections shall develop the 13 initial format for both Braille and large-print ballots in consultation 14 with at least three New York state organizations with expertise in the 15 field of advocacy for people with disabilities and such other appropri- 16 ate persons, groups, entities or organizations as the state board of 17 elections shall determine. For the purpose of this section, "Braille" 18 refers to grade two Braille and "large-print" refers to a font of eigh- 19 teen point or larger. Upon the printing of a Braille ballot, the board 20 of elections shall require such Braille ballot to be proofread by a 21 qualified Braille reader. The state board of elections shall establish 22 the minimum qualifications for a Braille ballot proofreader in consulta- 23 tion with at least three New York state organizations with expertise in 24 the field of advocacy for people with disabilities and such other appro- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10614-01-3A. 6355 2 1 priate persons, groups, entities or organizations as such board shall 2 determine. 3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2022-a to 4 read as follows: 5 § 2022-a. Ballots in Braille and large-print to be made available. 1. 6 Absentee ballots printed in Braille and large-print shall be made avail- 7 able upon the request of any registered voter who is blind or visually 8 impaired. Persons wishing to receive Braille and large-print absentee 9 ballots shall give notice thereof no less than thirty days prior to each 10 election day to enable preparation and distribution of such ballots. 11 2. The commissioner, in consultation with the state board of 12 elections, shall promulgate rules for the preparation, distribution, 13 casting, and canvass of Braille and large-print absentee ballots. The 14 department shall develop the initial format for both Braille and large- 15 print ballots in consultation with at least three New York state organ- 16 izations with expertise in the field of advocacy for people with disa- 17 bilities and such other appropriate persons, groups, entities or 18 organizations as such board shall determine. For the purposes of this 19 section, "Braille" refers to grade two Braille and "large-print" refers 20 to a font of eighteen point or larger. Upon the printing of a Braille 21 ballot, such Braille ballot shall be proofread by a qualified Braille 22 reader. The department shall establish the minimum qualifications for a 23 Braille ballot proofreader in consultation with the state board of 24 elections and at least three New York state organizations with expertise 25 in the field of advocacy for people with disabilities and such other 26 appropriate persons, groups, entities or organizations as such depart- 27 ment shall determine. 28 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of December next succeed- 29 ing the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediate- 30 ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation 31 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 32 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.