Democrats in the New York state Senate will advance legislation aimed to protect election workers and prevent voter disenfranchisement, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced Monday.

The election reforms being proposed include:

• Prohibiting deceptive practices and the suppression of voters, and increases penalties for violations of the elective franchise
• Banning political spending by foreign-influenced business entities in New York’s state and local elections
• Upgrading automatic voter registration and preregistration procedures to include provisions like “back-end” registration
• Requiring public-facing websites operated by political committees to contain "paid for by" language and adds such public-facing websites to the list of political communications that qualify as independent expenditures
• Authorizing county boards of elections to establish county-wide polling places
• Making commissioners full time employees on board of elections
• Permitting a voter to register to vote at a secondary residence to which they maintain a continuous connection with an intent to remain
• Requiring the state Board of Elections to create a mandatory, uniform training curriculum for all election commissioners
• Permitting the state Board of Elections to join and share information with a multistate voter list maintenance organization such as the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

“This comprehensive package of legislation protects the integrity of our elections while supporting the dedicated workers who make them possible,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. “By combating deceptive practices and voter suppression through my bill, S1085, we are ensuring that every New Yorker can cast their ballot free from fear or misinformation. Additionally, by enhancing voter accessibility, strengthening voter registration through secure automatic processes, and increasing transparency in political communications, we are standing firm in defense of every New Yorker’s right to vote. By investing in robust training and fair compensation for election commissioners and workers, we are creating a system that values their critical role. These bills reflect our unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of democracy and ensuring a fair and accessible electoral process for all.”

Lawmakers returned to Albany last week for another legislative session.