Relates to furnishing money or entertainment to induce attendance at polls; repealer

Latest action Jun 21, 2025

Repeals provisions criminalizing the furnishing of items with a nominal value to induce attendance at polls.

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Where it stands

Signed into law.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A1241, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Passed as A1241, the matching Assembly bill.

Amends the Election Law.

Committee

Election Law · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Elections · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To amend the election law, in relation to furnishing money or enter- tainment to induce attendance at polls. In furtherance of the decision by the Southern District of New York in Brooklyn Branch of NAACP vs. Kosinski, 735 F.Supp.3d 421.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 9, 2025Result: passedSenate vote on A1241, the matching Assembly bill.
(44) (18) (0) (1)
Vote: Committee vote · Rules
Senate RulesJun 4, 2025Result: passed
(13) (7) (0) (1)

Cosponsors

Al Taylor, Albert A. Stirpe and 19 more on Agora

Democratic20
Republican1

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Zellnor Myrie says this is needed

In New York State, despite continued progress on making our elections more accessible, certain polling locations continue to have massive lines. While it is the goal of every Board of Elections to reduce the maximum wait time to 30 minutes, this is often not the case in densely populated areas. Groups who wished to provide refreshments or snacks to voters who patiently waited in these lines faced the threat of criminal charges under section 17-140 of New York State Election Law. This section was declared unconstitutional by the Southern District of New York in the Brooklyn Branch of NAACP vs. Kosinski in May of 2024. The court not only found that the law infringed on First Amendment protections. but also the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amend- ment. In addition to this decision, there has been no notice of appeal filed. We in the legislature take this as a signal from the State Board of Elections as their acceptance of the decision declaring section 17-140 unconstitutional.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Jun 21, 2025
Signed
SIGNED CHAP.156
NY Assembly
Jun 20, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
NY Assembly
Jun 9, 2025
3RD Reading CAL.1544
3RD READING CAL.1544
NY Senate
Jun 9, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Jun 9, 2025
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED FOR S7281
NY Senate

Show full history (10 earlier events)

Jun 4, 2025
In committee
COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
NY Senate
Jun 4, 2025
Ordered to Third Reading CAL.1544
ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1544
NY Senate
May 15, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
May 15, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
May 15, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ELECTIONS
NY Senate
Apr 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ELECTIONS
NY Senate
Mar 27, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading CAL.70
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.70
NY Assembly
Mar 25, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
Mar 20, 2025
Amend (t) and Recommit to Election Law
AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO ELECTION LAW
NY Assembly
Jan 9, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ELECTION LAW
NY Assembly

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 22, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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