Relates to the form of submission and abstract for proposed amendments to the constitution, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10639
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 1, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. GIANARIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to the form of  submission
   and abstract for proposed amendments to the constitution
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 4-108 of the election law is amended  by  adding  a
 new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
   8. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS CHAPTER OR OTHER LAW TO
 THE CONTRARY, THE FORM IN WHICH A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
 SHALL  BE SUBMITTED, AND THE ABSTRACT THEREOF, MAY BE DETERMINED AS PART
 OF THE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION FOR THE SUBMISSION OF SUCH  AMENDMENT,  AND
 ABSTRACT  THEREOF, TO THE PEOPLE, OR THE FORM OF SUBMISSION AND ABSTRACT
 THEREOF MAY BE DETERMINED IN A SEPARATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY
 BOTH HOUSES OF THE LEGISLATURE AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED TWENTY DAYS PRIOR TO
 THE GENERAL ELECTION AT WHICH SUCH AMENDMENT SHALL BE  SUBMITTED.    THE
 LEGISLATURE,  IN  DETERMINING  THE FORM OF SUBMISSION AND ABSTRACT UNDER
 THIS SUBDIVISION, SHALL USE  BEST  EFFORTS  TO  COMPLY  WITH  THE  PLAIN
 LANGUAGE  REQUIREMENTS  OF  SUBDIVISIONS TWO AND FIVE, AND SHALL FURTHER
 USE BEST EFFORTS FOR SUCH SUBMISSION AND ABSTRACT TO SCORE AT AN  EIGHTH
 GRADE  READING LEVEL OR BELOW AS DETERMINED BY THE AUTOMATED READABILITY
 INDEX SCORE AS CALCULATED UNDER SUBDIVISION  SIX  OF  THIS  SECTION,  OR
 OTHER COMPARABLE TOOL TO EVALUATE READING LEVELS.  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, NO
 SPECIFIC AUTOMATED READABILITY INDEX SCORE SHALL BE REQUIRED.  SUCH FORM
 OF SUBMISSION AND ABSTRACT DETERMINED IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR BY THIS
 SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE  TRANSMITTED  BY  THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AS
 OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS  CHAPTER  WITHOUT  AMENDMENT  OR  ALTERATION,
 EXCEPT  THAT  THE  STATE  BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAY ASSIGN TO SUCH PROPOSED
 AMENDMENT THE BALLOT ORDER NUMBER APPLICABLE THERETO.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  apply  to  all
 concurrent  resolutions  proposing  amendments  to the constitution that
 achieve first passage by both  houses  of  the  legislature  during  the
 2025-2026  legislative  session and any concurrent resolutions proposing
 amendments to the constitution agreed to by the legislature  thereafter;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15990-04-6
 S. 10639                            2
 
 provided,  however,  that  this  act  shall  not apply to any concurrent
 resolution proposing amendments to the constitution that achieved  first
 passage  by both houses of the legislature during the 2023-2024 legisla-
 tive session.