Int. No. 514-A
By Council Member Lancman, Miller, Rivera, Ampry-Samuel, Kallos and Constantinides
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to informing persons released from city jails of their voting rights
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 1057-a of the New York city charter is amended to add a new subdivision 10, to read as follows:
10. The department of correction shall, in addition to the other requirements of this section for participating agencies, distribute to every person upon release from custody of the department a written notice on the voting rights of formerly incarcerated persons in the state of New York, including information on when such persons are or may become eligible to vote, and offer to every such person a voter registration form. The department shall make verbal reference to the distributed written notice and voter registration form to such individuals upon distribution. Such notice shall only be required for those who are released from a department facility, from department custody within a courthouse, and from a department-operated area within a hospital or healthcare provider. Notice is not required for those who are released to the custody of another government agency or to the custody of a hospital or healthcare provider. Such written notice shall be developed in consultation with the voter assistance advisory committee.
§ 2. Paragraph 5 of subdivision b of section 1054 of the New York city charter, as added by local law number 60 for the year 2010, is amended to read as follows:
5. undertake, by itself or in cooperation with other public or private entities, activities intended to encourage and facilitate voter registration and voting by all residents of New York City who are eligible or may become eligible to vote, including eligible voters who are limited in English proficiency and incarcerated or formerly incarcerated persons who are or may become eligible to vote;
§ 3 Subdivision b of section 1054 of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new paragraph 8 to read as follows:
8. conduct yearly trainings for all relevant staff of the department of correction. Such training shall include, at minimum, information on voting laws for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals in the state of New York, voter registration procedures, absentee voting, and determining eligibility to vote.
§ 3. This local law takes effect 120 days after becoming law.
BJR/AS
LS 158
LS 4684 / Int. 1357-2016
11/20/18 8:50PM