If there is going to be automatic voter registration in New York state, Assemblyman Andrew Goodell and a smattering of his Republican colleagues want to see additional state agencies enrolling voters.

The state Assembly last week passed A.2574, sponsored by Assemblywoman Latrice Walker, D-Brooklyn, to amend the automatic voting registration legislation passed in 2020.

The updated legislation begins automatic voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles on Jan. 1, 2023, followed by the state Health Department, state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, state Labor Department, Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services — Vocational Rehabilitation, county and city social services departments and the New York City Housing Authority on Jan. 1, 2024. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, automatic voter registration will begin on SUNY campuses.

Goodell, R-Jamestown, and Assemblyman Joe Giglio, R-Gowanda, each voted on the legislation. The bill was passed in the Assembly by a 99-51 vote. A companion bill has yet to be voted on in the Senate.

“I appreciate my colleague’s desire to expand the number of registrations across New York state,” Goodell said. “I think it’s a very laudable goal. I appreciate this chapter amendment because it extends the effective date of automatic voter registration for another year, which I think is also positive because it gives us another year to address some of the issues that have been raised. If we truly want to register more people in New York state, then we ought to make automatic voter registration available not just in those agencies that cater to those who are seeking benefits from government, but also to those agencies that serve the taxpayers. So it seems that if we’re serious about encouraging everyone to register to vote, we want to make sure that opportunity applies if you pay your property taxes or your New York state income taxes or you seek a license so you can practice in New York state or run a business in New York state. … Over the next year I am hopeful that all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that want to maximize the number of people who are registered to vote will join me and my colleagues in expanding that opportunity to include all those agencies and entities that typically deal with those who are not seeking money from New York state but are paying money to New York state through their taxes.”

Assemblyman Michael Norris, R-Lockport, agreed with Goodell’s idea. Norris said he proposed adding several agencies to the list of automatic voter registration sites during deliberations last year and was disappointed that only one agency was added this year — the State University of New York. Norris had proposed adding automatic voter registration at the Department of Agriculture and Markets, Department of Taxation and Finance, state DEC offices, Empire State Development Corporation, pistol permit offices, Alcohol and Beverage Control Offices, Real Property tax Services offices, Small Business Development Centers and Economic Development Centers, and offices that handle professional licensing.

“However the governor, it must be a three-way agreement with both houses, wanted to make sure the SUNY colleges were in there,” Norris said. “I don’t see anything here about private colleges or vocational trade schools where they may also get TAP funding. I also have a few concerns regarding the original bill in terms of the administrative burden on these agencies to actually implement this process. I thought there were two minor changes were good in terms of notification from the Boards of Elections, but there is still a tremendous cost factor in having this automatic voter registration system put into place.”

Walker said Norris’ objections had been placed into the record twice and asked Norris if there was a way for the governor to add agencies to the list. The amended legislation gives the governor a time to review state agencies and determine if they should be part of the automatic voter registration system. In the original bill, the governor could add agencies to the list once a year instead of every other year. The amended legislation also adds requirements that the Board of Elections be notified of registration information. There have been concerns that automatic voter registration could result in people who aren’t eligible to vote registering anyway. That issue was raised by one Democratic member of the Assembly during last week’s floor debate.

“I only rise to say I do have a concern that there might be people who inadvertently get registered to vote and I want to make sure they don’t get penalized for doing so,” said Assemblywoman Monica Wallace, D-Cheektowaga, who has introduced legislation requiring the Department of Motor Vehicles to work with the Board of Elections so that people aren’t wrongly registering and being punished for it. “I would suggest that we encourage our agencies to work together with the Board of Elections to make sure that does not happen.”