New York S 286: Requires a government photo identification card to be presented when casting a ballot

Bill Text

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S00286 Summary:

BILL NOS00286 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A05204

&nbsp

SPONSORRHOADS

&nbsp

COSPNSRBORRELLO, MURRAY, OBERACKER, WEIK

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §§8-303 & 8-400, El L; amd §17-169, NYC Ad Cd; amd §4174, Pub Health L; amd §490, V & T L

&nbsp

Requires a government photo identification card to be presented when casting a ballot; provides for a method to receive a government photo identification card at no charge; provides that notaries are not permitted to collect a fee for collecting the documents required.

Go to top S00286 Actions:

BILL NOS00286 

&nbsp

01/08/2025REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

01/07/2026REFERRED TO ELECTIONS

Go to topS00286 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS00286 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS00286 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 286

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 (Prefiled)

 January 8, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. RHOADS, BORRELLO, MURRAY, OBERACKER, WEIK -- read
 twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the
 Committee on Elections

 AN ACT to amend the election law, the administrative code of the city of
 New York, the public health law and the vehicle and traffic law, in
 relation to requiring a government issued photo identification card to
 be presented when casting a ballot

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 8-303 of the election law, as added by chapter 420
 2 of the laws of 2004 and subparagraph 1 of paragraph (b) of subdivision 3
 3 as amended by chapter 160 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as
 4 follows:
 5 § 8-303. [Initial voter] Voter identification. 1. Applicability. Each
 6 board of elections, in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner, shall
 7 require a voter to meet the requirements of subdivision two of this
 8 section [if:
 9 (a) the individual registered to vote in a jurisdiction by mail on or
 10 after January first, two thousand three; and
 11 (b) the individual has not previously voted in an election for federal
 12 office in the jurisdiction of the board of elections].
 13 2. Requirements. (a) In general. An individual meets the requirements
 14 of this subdivision if the individual:
 15 (1) in the case of an individual who votes in person[: (i)] presents
 16 to the appropriate election inspector, clerk or coordinator a current
 17 and valid government issued photo identification; [or
 18 (ii) presents to the appropriate election inspector, clerk or coordi-
 19 nator a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government
 20 check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and
 21 address of the voter;] or

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01050-01-5

 S. 286 2

 1 (2) in the case of an individual who votes by mail, submits in the
 2 outer envelope with the envelope containing the ballot: [(i)] a copy of
 3 a current and valid government issued photo identification[; or
 4 (ii) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government
 5 check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and
 6 address of the voter].
 7 A current and valid government issued photo identification shall
 8 include: a New York state driver's license or non-driver ID; a United
 9 States Passport; an identification card issued by a United States educa-
 10 tional institution; a United States military identification card; a
 11 government issued medical card or any identification card issued by the
 12 United States or the state of New York.
 13 (b) Fail-safe voting. [(1)] An individual who desires to vote in
 14 person, but who does not meet the requirements of [subparagraph one of
 15 paragraph (a) of] this subdivision[,] may [cast an affidavit ballot, and
 16 notwithstanding this section of law, such affidavit ballot shall be duly
 17 cast and counted, even though such individual does not meet the require-
 18 ments of subparagraph one of paragraph (a) of this subdivision, provided
 19 such individual casting such ballot is an otherwise eligible voter
 20 pursuant to law, provided further that such ballot otherwise complies