Bill Text: NY S00566 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Permits enrollment in the address confidentiality program for election officers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-05 - ADVANCED TO THIRD READING [S00566 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-S00566-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           566

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 8, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
          ment Operations

        AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to enrollment eligibility
          for election officials in the address confidentiality program

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1. The opening paragraph of section 108 of the executive law,
     2  as separately amended by chapters 222 and 521 of the laws  of  2022,  is
     3  amended to read as follows:
     4    There  is created in the office of the secretary of state a program to
     5  be known as the "address confidentiality program" to protect victims  of
     6  domestic  violence, victims of human trafficking, victims of kidnapping,
     7  victims of a sexual offense, victims  of  stalking,  [and]  reproductive
     8  health  care  services  providers,  employees,  volunteers, patients, or
     9  immediate family members of reproductive health care services providers,
    10  and election officers by authorizing the use of designated addresses for
    11  such [victims] individuals and their minor children. The  program  shall
    12  be administered by the secretary of state.
    13    §  2. Clause (A) of subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2
    14  and subdivision 3 of section 108 of the  executive  law,  as  separately
    15  amended by chapters 222 and 521 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read
    16  as follows:
    17    (A)  the  applicant,  or  the  minor  or incapacitated person on whose
    18  behalf the application is made, is a victim of domestic violence, victim
    19  of human trafficking, victim of kidnapping, victim of a sexual  offense,
    20  victim  of  stalking, [or] a reproductive health care services provider,
    21  employee, volunteer, patient, or an immediate family member of a  repro-
    22  ductive health care services provider, or an election officer;

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02022-01-5
        S. 566                              2

     1    3.  Designation  of agencies to assist applicants. The secretary shall
     2  designate state, local or nonprofit agencies  that  provide  counseling,
     3  referral,  shelter  or other specialized services to victims of domestic
     4  violence, victims of human trafficking, victims of  kidnapping,  victims
     5  of  a  sexual offense, victims of stalking, and reproductive health care
     6  services providers, employees, volunteers, patients, or immediate family
     7  members of reproductive health care services providers to assist persons
     8  applying to be program participants. The secretary shall designate coun-
     9  ty boards of elections to assist election officers  in  applying  to  be
    10  program participants. Such persons providing assistance shall be trained
    11  by  the  secretary. Any assistance and counseling rendered by an officer
    12  of the secretary or [his or her] their designees to applicants shall  in
    13  no way be construed as legal advice.
    14    §  3.  Subdivision 1 of section 108 of the executive law is amended by
    15  adding a new paragraph (o) to read as follows:
    16    (o) "Election officer" shall have the same meaning  as  set  forth  in
    17  section 1-104 of the election law.
    18    §  4. Clause (B) of subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2
    19  of section 108 of the executive law, as amended by chapter  222  of  the
    20  laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
    21    (B)  the  applicant,  or  the  minor  or incapacitated person on whose
    22  behalf the application is made, has left [his or  her]  their  residence
    23  because  of  such violence or acts, provided, however, this clause shall
    24  not apply if the  applicant  is  a  reproductive  health  care  services
    25  provider, employee, volunteer, patient, or an immediate family member of
    26  a reproductive health care services provider, or an election officer;
    27    §  5.  Subparagraph  (iv) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section
    28  108 of the executive law, as amended by chapter 222 of the laws of 2022,
    29  is amended to read as follows:
    30    (iv) the actual address or addresses that the applicant  requests  not
    31  be disclosed because of the increased risk of domestic violence, a sexu-
    32  al  offense,  stalking,  physical  injury or in the case of reproductive
    33  health care services provider, employee, volunteer, patient, or an imme-
    34  diate family member of a reproductive health care services provider,  or
    35  an election officer, other threats of violence; and
    36    § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.