NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7835
SPONSOR: Slater TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the election law, in relation to prohibiting the state
board of elections and local boards of elections from accepting
donations of private funds for election administration
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would ban state and local boards of elections from receiving
private donations for elections administration.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Bans the state Board of Elections from receiving private
donations for elections administration.
Section 2: Bans local Boards of Elections from receiving private
donations for elections administration.
Section 3: Sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
In 2020, many private organizations gave Boards of Elections across the
United States money for elections administration. While the effort may
have been well-intentioned, more nefarious actors may be trying to use
such donations to influence what equipment BOEs use or gain some type of
information for their own use. This must not be the case in New York.
BOEs work for the taxpayers of New York alone, and thus must be funded
by them solely.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7835
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 11, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SLATER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Election Law
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to prohibiting the state
board of elections and local boards of elections from accepting
donations of private funds for election administration
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 3-114
2 to read as follows:
3 § 3-114. Receipt of private funding prohibited. The state board of
4 elections is hereby prohibited from accepting any donation of private
5 funds for use for election administration. For the purposes of this
6 section, the term "private funds" shall mean any amount of money from
7 any individual, corporation or other business entity, nonprofit or not-
8 for-profit organization, or other non-public entity.
9 § 2. The election law is amended by adding a new section 3-228 to read
10 as follows:
11 § 3-228. Receipt of private funding prohibited. All boards of
12 elections in this state are hereby prohibited from accepting any
13 donation of private funds for use for election administration. For the
14 purposes of this section, the term "private funds" shall mean any amount
15 of money from any individual, corporation or other business entity,
16 nonprofit or not-for-profit organization, or other non-public entity.
17 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05174-01-5
