Requires a joint report by the state board of elections and state education department concerning the safety of students and staff at schools used as polling places for elections.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A3080
SPONSOR: Sayegh
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act requiring a joint report by the state board of elections and
state education department concerning the safety of students and staff
at schools used as polling places for elections
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would direct the State Board of Elections and the State Educa-
tion Department to jointly examine, evaluate, and make recommendations
concerning the safety of students and staff at schools used as polling
places for elections.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section l. The State Board of Elections and the State Education Depart-
ment shall jointly examine, evaluate and make recommendations concerning
the safety of students and staff at schools used as polling places for
elections.
Section 2. The State Board of Elections and/or the State Education
Department may request and shall receive from any subdivision, depart-
ment, board, bureau, commission, office, agency or other instrumentality
of the state or of any political subdivision thereof such assistance and
data as it deems necessary or desirable to effectuate the purposes set
forth in this act.
Section 3. Within six months of the effective date of this act, the
State Board of Elections and the State Education Department shall submit
a joint report of their findings, conclusions and recommendations to the
governor and the legislature, and shall submit with such report such
regulatory and legislative proposals as they deem necessary to implement
their recommendations.
Section 4. Effective Date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Many schools serve as Election Day polling places. However, there exists
a reasonable expectation for maintaining the safety and security of
students and school staff, as well as the community members using the
schools on election day. Therefore, it is necessary and proper for the
Board of Elections and Department of Education to jointly consider the
safety implications that arise from schools serving as polling places.
If it is found that schools serving as polling places pose a serious
risk to security, this study will provide for the Board of Elections and
the Department of Education to make recommendations of feasible alterna-
tives for polling places.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2013-14:A6774 (Englebright) referredt oe lection law
2015-16:A2488 (Englebright) referred to election law
2017-18:A6339 (Englebright) referred to election law
2019-20:A5688 (Englebright) referred to election law
2021-22:A7294 (Englebright) referred to election law
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Within six months of the effective date of this act, the state board of
elections and the state education department shall submit a joint report
of their findings, conclusions and recommendations to the governor and
the legislature, and shall submit with such report such regulatory and
legislative proposals as they deem necessary to implement their recom-
mendations.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3080
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 2, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Election Law
AN ACT requiring a joint report by the state board of elections and
state education department concerning the safety of students and staff
at schools used as polling places for elections
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The state board of elections and the state education
2 department shall jointly examine, evaluate and make recommendations
3 concerning the safety of students and staff at schools used as polling
4 places for elections.
5 § 2. The state board of elections and/or the state education depart-
6 ment may request and shall receive from any subdivision, department,
7 board, bureau, commission, office, agency or other instrumentality of
8 the state or of any political subdivision thereof such assistance and
9 data as it deems necessary or desirable to effectuate the purposes set
10 forth in this act.
11 § 3. Within six months of the effective date of this act, the state
12 board of elections and the state education department shall submit a
13 joint report of their findings, conclusions and recommendations to the
14 governor and the legislature, and shall submit with such report such
15 regulatory and legislative proposals as they deem necessary to implement
16 their recommendations.
17 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07667-01-3