Local Law 43

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the voters guide requirements of the campaign finance board.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1.  Subdivision b of section 1052 of the New York city charter, as amended by local law number 68 for the year 1993, is amended to read as follows: 

b. The board shall take such actions as it deems necessary and appropriate to improve public awareness of the candidates, proposals or referenda in all elections in which there are contested elections for the offices of mayor, public advocate, borough presidents, comptroller, or city council or ballot proposals or referenda pursuant tothis charter or the municipal home rule law, including but not necessarily limited to the publication of a non-partisan, impartial voters guide providing information on candidates, ballot proposals and referenda, and the distribution of one copy of such guide to each household in which there is at least one registered voter eligible to vote in the election involved.  In any year in which the board publishes a voters guide, if the board determines that the amount of money in its budget is insufficient or likely to be insufficient for the publication and distribution of the voters guide, it shall report such determination to the director of the office of management and budget, who, after consultation with the board, shall, without an appropriation, transfer to the board a reasonable amount, as the director shall determine, to cover the cost of publishing and distributing the voters guide; provided however, that for any election in any district in which (i) there are no contested elections for the office of mayor, public advocate, borough president, comptroller or city council,and (ii) there has been no administrative action, or determination of a court of final, competent jurisdiction, to include a ballot proposal or referendum at such election sixty days or more prior to the date of such election, the board shall not publish or distribute such guide, but shall instead make available to the public on its website information to the extent practicable regarding any proposal or referendum that is to be included on the ballot.

§ 2.  This local law shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to apply to the general election to be held on November 4, 2014.

EC

6/26/18