STATE OF NEW YORK
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118
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 6, 2021
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Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to establishing the misde-
meanor of interfering in the election process by electronic means
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 17-158
2 to read as follows:
3 § 17-158. Interfering in the election process by electronic means. Any
4 person who, with intent to interfere with an election, places or causes
5 to be placed, multiple calls by telephone or other electronic means, or
6 sends or causes to be sent, multiple messages by text, email, fax,
7 computer application, tablet application, telephone application or other
8 electronic means, or any combination thereof, to obstruct, prevent or
9 interfere with:
10 1. the reporting of poll results by any polling place;
11 2. the receipt of poll results by a local or state board of elections;
12 3. the ability of a political or party organization to place calls or
13 send messages used for the purpose of encouraging people to vote; or
14 4. the ability of a political or party organization to place calls or
15 send messages used for the purpose of arranging transportation for
16 people to or from their polling place, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
18 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03323-01-1
