Establishes the New York state democracy commission to report on certain democracy issues and how to prevent attempts to illegitimately overturn a lawful election on a local, state and federal level.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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4204
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 6, 2023
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Introduced by Sens. SANDERS, KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to establish the New York state democracy commission; and provid-
ing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds and declares
2 that the American democracy was under attack on January 6, 2021 in the
3 United States Capitol by insurrectionists attempting to overturn the
4 legal election of Joseph Biden for the United States presidency through
5 violence, intimidation and by other means. There is legitimate concern
6 that this attempt to overthrow our democracy will occur again at the
7 federal, state and local levels.
8 § 2. 1. A temporary state commission, to be known as the New York
9 state democracy commission, hereinafter referred to as the commission,
10 is hereby created to make recommendations and create a report of its
11 findings relating to issues involving:
12 a. the state of democracy in New York state;
13 b. how to protect, strengthen and expand democracy in New York state
14 on the state and local levels;
15 c. how to expand voter registration and voter turnout;
16 d. how to strengthen the integrity of the voting process;
17 e. ways to improve civics education in schools; and
18 f. how to prevent attempts to illegitimately overturn a lawful
19 election on a local, state and federal level taking into account the
20 events that led up to the January 6, 2021 insurrection in the United
21 States Capitol and events thereafter to undermine American democracy.
22 2. a. The commission shall consist of thirteen members, to be
23 appointed as follows: six members shall be appointed by the governor;
24 two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
25 two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; one
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08520-01-3
S. 4204 2
1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; one
2 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and
3 one member shall be the attorney general of New York state. The commis-
4 sion shall be chaired by a member appointed by the governor.
5 b. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
6 their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
7 incurred in the performance of their duties under this act. The commis-
8 sion may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel as it may deem
9 necessary for the performance of its functions and fix their compen-
10 sation within the amounts made available by appropriation therefor.
11 3. The commission may request and shall receive from any agency in the
12 state and from any subdivision, department, board, bureau, commission,
13 office, agency or other instrumentality of the state or of any political
14 subdivision thereof such facilities, assistance and data as it deems
15 necessary or desirable for the proper execution of its powers and duties
16 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in this act.
17 4. The report shall include any recommendations for legislative action
18 as it may deem necessary and appropriate and shall be delivered to the
19 governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the
20 assembly, and posted on the website of the Secretary of State no later
21 than one year after the effective date of this act. The report shall
22 also be posted on the website of the governor.
23 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
24 deemed repealed 2 years after such date.
