S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  7218--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
   lishing the New York state equine industry board
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
 section 387 to read as follows:
   § 387. NEW YORK STATE EQUINE INDUSTRY BOARD. 1. THERE SHALL BE  ESTAB-
 LISHED  WITHIN  THE DEPARTMENT THE NEW YORK STATE EQUINE INDUSTRY BOARD,
 TO ADVISE AND MAKE  RECOMMENDATIONS  TO  THE  STATE  AGENCIES  ON  STATE
 GOVERNMENT  PLANS, POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AFFECTING ALL ASPECTS OF EQUINE
 INDUSTRY, AS OUTLINED BELOW, AND IN SUCH AREAS  AS  ITS  EXPERIENCE  AND
 STUDIES  MAY  INDICATE  TO  BE APPROPRIATE. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE
 NECESSARY SECRETARIAL AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE BOARD.
   2. THE EQUINE  INDUSTRY  BOARD  SHALL  CONSIST  OF  SEVENTEEN  MEMBERS
 APPOINTED  BY  THE GOVERNOR, SELECTED FOR THEIR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
 RELATED TO AREAS OF BOARD  RESPONSIBILITY.  MEMBERS  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE
 COMMISSIONER  OR  THEIR  DESIGNEE  WHO  SHALL  ACT AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE
 BOARD, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FOLLOWING STAKEHOLDER GROUPS:  CORNELL
 UNIVERSITY  COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES; CORNELL UNIVERSITY
 COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE; A  RESCUE  ORGANIZATION  OR  THE  HUMANE
 SOCIETY;  AN  ORGANIZATION  INVOLVED  IN  HORSE SANCTUARIES OR RACEHORSE
 AFTERCARE; AN ORGANIZATION INVOLVED IN HORSE THERAPY; AN EQUINE  VETERI-
 NARIAN;  A TRAIL OR RECREATIONAL RIDING GROUP; THE EQUINE SUPPORT INDUS-
 TRY; AN ORGANIZER OF HORSE SHOWS, RODEOS OR COMPETITIONS; HORSE BOARDERS
 OR RIDING STABLES; AN URBAN EQUESTRIAN ORGANIZATION; THE HORSE  BREEDING
 INDUSTRY;  FARMERS  AND  RANCHERS;  AN ACADEMIC RESEARCHER; THE NEW YORK
 STATE HORSE COUNCIL OR A SIMILAR ORGANIZATION; THE NEW YORK STATE VETER-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11101-05-5
              

 S. 7218--A                          2
 
 INARY MEDICAL SOCIETY OR A SIMILAR  ORGANIZATION;  AND  A  YOUTH  EQUINE
 ORGANIZATION.  MEMBERS  SHALL BE APPOINTED FOR A TERM OF THREE YEARS AND
 MAY SERVE UNTIL THEIR SUCCESSORS ARE CHOSEN PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  THAT  OF
 THE  MEMBERS FIRST APPOINTED, FIVE OF THE MEMBERS SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM
 OF ONE YEAR, FIVE SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS, AND  SEVEN  SHALL
 SERVE FOR A TERM OF THREE YEARS.  MEMBERS SHALL SERVE WITHOUT SALARY BUT
 SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT OF THEIR ORDINARY AND NECESSARY TRAV-
 EL EXPENSES.
   3.  (A)  THE  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EQUINE ADVISORY BOARD
 SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PROVIDING TIMELY ADVICE,  COMMENTS
 AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSIONER REGARDING:
   (I) EQUINE-TOURISM;
   (II) EQUINE INDUSTRY PROMOTION;
   (III) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT;
   (IV) EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING INITIATIVES;
   (V) HUMANE TREATMENT OF HORSES; AND
   (VI) OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST IDENTIFIED BY THE BOARD.
   (B)  THE COMMISSIONER MAY DELEGATE TO THE BOARD SUCH ADDITIONAL DUTIES
 AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS ARE DEEMED NECESSARY.
   4. THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY BOARD  SHALL
 INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT  BE LIMITED TO, PROVIDING TIMELY ADVICE, COMMENTS AND
 RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSIONER AND OTHER STATE AGENCY HEADS REGARD-
 ING ALL ASPECTS OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY IN  THE  STATE.  CONCERNED  STATE
 AGENCIES  SHALL  BE  ENCOURAGED TO ESTABLISH A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH
 THE BOARD AND SHALL FULLY COOPERATE WITH THE BOARD IN  ANY  REQUESTS  IT
 SHALL MAKE.
   5.  THE  EQUINE INDUSTRY BOARD MAY ASK OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND ITS
 MEETINGS OR WORK WITH IT ON AN OCCASIONAL OR REGULAR  BASIS.  THE  BOARD
 SHALL SET THE TIME AND PLACE OF ITS MEETINGS AND SHALL HOLD AT LEAST ONE
 MEETING  PER YEAR. THE BOARD MAY ESTABLISH COMMITTEES AND REGIONAL WORK-
 ING GROUPS AS NECESSARY.
   6. THE EQUINE INDUSTRY BOARD SHALL PRODUCE AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  TO  THE
 GOVERNOR  AND THE LEGISLATURE ON OR BEFORE THE END OF EACH CALENDAR YEAR
 CONCERNING ITS ACTIVITIES DURING  THE  PREVIOUS  YEAR  AND  ITS  PROGRAM
 EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SUCCEEDING YEAR.
   7.  (A)  THE  EQUINE  INDUSTRY  BOARD SHALL ADVISE THE COMMISSIONER IN
 ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR MAKING ANNUAL AWARDS AND GRANTS, WITHIN  THE
 LIMITS  OF  APPROPRIATIONS  MADE  THEREFOR,  RECOGNIZING NEW YORK EQUINE
 BUSINESSES, INDIVIDUALS, AND INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL  IN  INNO-
 VATING,  MARKETING,  AND/OR  PROMOTING  NEW  YORK EQUINE INDUSTRIES. THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL COORDINATE WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOP-
 MENT TO DETERMINE WHICH DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE AWARDS AND GRANTS IN VARI-
 OUS CATEGORIES IDENTIFIED BY THE EQUINE INDUSTRY BOARD. THESE AWARDS AND
 GRANTS SHALL BE GIVEN IN RECOGNITION OF EXCEPTIONAL  PERFORMANCE,  INNO-
 VATION  AND SUPPORT FOR NEW YORK EQUINE INDUSTRIES BY PERSONS, FIRMS AND
 ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PRINCIPALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW  YORK
 AND  ENGAGED  IN  THE OPERATION OF NEW YORK EQUINE FARMS, BUSINESSES AND
 INSTITUTIONS.
   (B) THE BOARD MAY ANNUALLY NOMINATE AND FORWARD SUCH  NOMINATIONS  FOR
 AWARDS  AND  GRANTS  TO  THE COMMISSIONER CONSIDERATION IN THE FOLLOWING
 CATEGORIES:
   (I) VETERINARY PRACTICE AND HORSE WELFARE;
   (II) EQUINE-TOURISM;
   (III) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT;
   (IV) PUBLIC EDUCATION;
   (V) YOUTH EQUINE ACTIVITIES; AND
 S. 7218--A                          3
 
   (VI) SUCH OTHER AWARDS AND GRANTS AS THE EQUINE ADVISORY  BOARD  SHALL
 RECOMMEND.
   (C)  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL HAVE THE DISCRETION TO DESIGNATE AWARD AND
 GRANT WINNERS FROM THESE NOMINEES. CURRENT  MEMBERS  OF  THE  BOARD  AND
 THEIR BUSINESSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE AS NOMINEES.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.