N.Y. Elec. Law § 4-108

§ 4-108. Certification of proposed constitutional amendments and\nquestions. 1. a. Whenever any proposed amendment to the constitution or\nother question provided by law to be submitted to a statewide vote shall\nbe submitted to the people for their approval, the state board of\nelections at least three months prior to the general election at which\nsuch amendment, proposition or question is to be submitted, shall\ntransmit to each county board of elections a certified copy of the text\nof each amendment, proposition or question and a statement of the form\nin which it is to be submitted.\n b. Whenever any proposal, proposition or referendum as provided by law\nis to be submitted to a vote of the people of a county, city, town,\nvillage or special district, at an election conducted by the board of\nelections, the clerk of such political subdivision, at least thirty-six\ndays prior to the election at which such proposal, proposition or\nreferendum is to be submitted, shall transmit to each board of elections\na certified copy of the text of such proposal, proposition or referendum\nand a statement of the form in which it is to be submitted. If a special\nelection is to be held, such transmittal shall also give the date of\nsuch election.\n c. Such certified copy shall set out all new matter in italics and\nenclose in brackets, [ ], all matter to be eliminated from existing\nlaw, and at the bottom of each page shall be appended the words:\n Explanation: Matter in italics is new, to be added; matter in brackets\n[ ] is old law, to be omitted.\n d. In addition to the text, such transmittal shall contain an abstract\nof such proposed amendment, proposition or question, prepared by the\nstate board of elections concisely stating the purpose and effect\nthereof in a clear and coherent manner using words with common and\neveryday meanings.\n 2. The form in which the proposed amendment, proposition or question\nis to be submitted shall consist of only an abbreviated title indicating\ngenerally and briefly, and in a clear and coherent manner using words\nwith common and every-day meanings, the subject matter of the amendment,\nproposition or question. If more than one such amendment, proposition or\nquestion is to be voted upon at such election, each such amendment,\nproposition or question respectively shall be separately and\nconsecutively numbered.\n 3. The attorney general shall advise in the preparation of such\nabstract and such form of submission.\n