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A04402 Summary:

BILL NOA04402
 
SAME ASSAME AS S01299
 
SPONSORMolitor
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Amd §5-210, El L
 
Enacts the voter registration integrity act; requires a birth certificate, passport, certificate of naturalization or citizenship, evidence of New York state residency, or any other documentation that the board of elections determines establishes United States citizenship.
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A04402 Actions:

BILL NOA04402
 
02/04/2025referred to election law
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A04402 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A4402
 
SPONSOR: Molitor
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the election law, in relation to enacting the "voter registration integrity act"   PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that newly registered voters are Citizens of the United States.   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 names the bill the "voter registration integrity act." Section 2 amends section 5-210 of the election law by requiring first time voter -registration applications to include a birth certificate establishing U.S. citizenship, a valid U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization or citizenship, or such other documentation that the state board of elections determines establishes U.S. citizenship. Section 3 amends section 5-210 of the election to include documentation of U.S. citizenship. Section 4 provides that this bill would become effective 60 days after it becomes law.   JUSTIFICATION: Fundamental to a valid democracy is that those who run the country as elected officials are elected by those who are citizens of the country. Otherwise, those who are illegally in the country or are not citizens would be able to help elect federal, state, and local public officials, whose loyalty to the citizens of the country might be compromised. New York State currently does not require any documentary evidence of U.S. citizenship for new voter registrations. The boards of election require applicants for voter registration to provide a driver's license number or the last four digits of their social security number, but neither number proves U.S. citizenship because driver's licenses will now be issued -to illegal immigrants and social security numbers are available to noncitizen immigrants who are in the United States with a temporary work visa, or noncitizen permanent residents with a "green card." This legislation will correct this glaring weakness in the New York voter registration process by requiring documentation of U.S.citizenship.These documentation requirements are not difficult or onerous and are similar to the documentation requirements that applied to new driver license applications that apply to lawful residents.   PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: A.8625 2019/2020 - Held for consideration in Election Law A.4901 2021/2022 - Held for consideration in Election Law A.6038 2023/2024 - Held for consideration in Election Law   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: The board of elections will incur additional staff and computer expenses to ensure that appropriate documents are submitted as part of the voter registration process.   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect 60 days after it becomes law, although the state board of elections could immediately begin adopting necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the law.
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