A 7137: Permits the conduct of political party meetings, conventions and caucuses via video-conferencing; permits proxy voting.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7137 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY March 20, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE HERMELYN, JACKSON, WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Election Law AN ACT relating to permitting video-conferencing of, and proxy voting at, political party meetings, conventions and caucuses; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law or a party committee's 2 rules to the contrary: 3 (a) any party caucus, party meeting or party convention held pursuant 4 to the election law in the year 2025 may be held by means of video 5 conferencing in whole or in part, at the discretion of the chairperson 6 calling such meeting; provided, however, that any required notice shall 7 include instructions to participants as to how to access such video 8 conference; 9 (b) proxy voting at any party caucus, party meeting or party conven- 10 tion held pursuant to the election law in the year 2025 shall be permit- 11 ted. Except where a greater number is permitted by a party committee's 12 rules, any person eligible to attend and vote at such a caucus, meeting 13 or convention may hold up to ten proxies or a number of proxies equaling 14 the number of members or delegates contained in the member's or deleg- 15 ate's assembly district, whichever is less. A proxy statement may be in 16 the form prescribed by the party committee's rules or as accepted in the 17 past by the party entity or may be substantially as follows: "I, a 18 member or eligible voter of (insert party caucus, party meeting or party 19 convention), do hereby give my proxy authorization to (insert name of 20 proxy holder) who shall be authorized to vote in my stead at the (insert 21 party caucus, party meeting or party convention) to be held on (insert 22 date) and any adjourned date thereof." Any proxy granted hereunder shall 23 be revocable in a writing provided to the secretary or chair of the EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10958-01-5 
 A. 7137 2 1 party entity or by the attendance of the proxy grantor at the caucus, 2 meeting or convention stated; and 3 (c) a delegate to a judicial convention may give their proxy to any 4 delegate or alternate delegate in the same judicial district. 5 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 6 deemed repealed December 31, 2025.