S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  1247

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. LANCMAN, PHEFFER, CHRISTENSEN, ESPAILLAT, MILL-
  MAN, SPANO, ROSENTHAL, ALFANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. LATIM-
  ER, MAISEL, McDONOUGH, WEISENBERG -- read once  and  referred  to  the
  Committee on Governmental Operations

AN  ACT  in  relation  to  enacting  the  "non-profit  homeland security
  preparedness study"; 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:

  Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "non-profit
homeland security preparedness study".
  S 2. Legislative findings  and  declaration.  The  legislature  hereby
finds  and declares that New York state is home to thousands of not-for-
profit cultural, religious and educational institutions which serve  the
needs  of  millions  of  New  Yorkers.  A number of these not-for-profit
institutions must expend resources to enhance their security to  protect
against terrorist threat.
  The  resources  to make these vital improvements exhaust institutional
budgets forcing institutions to choose  between  providing  services  or
making security improvements.
  The  legislature  finds  that  the  existing federal program to assist
not-for-profit organizations has not met the needs of the  organizations
as  its  budgetary  funding,  and  the  existence of the federal program
itself varies from year to year. The federal program was not  funded  in
2006, and in 2007 New York state institutions received only $3.3 million
statewide.  Less  than  half  of  the 109 New York not-for-profit insti-
tutions that applied  for  funding  received  support.  As  the  federal
program has not been as reliable as necessary, New York state must exam-
ine its resources to supplement the federal program appropriations.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01059-01-9
              

A. 1247                             2

  This  legislation commissions the office of homeland security to study
and recommend available state resources that could be used to  create  a
state not-for-profit homeland security grant program.
  S 3. 1. The office of homeland security shall study, evaluate and make
recommendations  in  writing to the governor, the temporary president of
the senate, and the speaker of the assembly regarding  the  universe  of
state resources available to assist not-for-profit institutions in hard-
ening  their  facilities  through  a state not-for-profit grant program,
create criteria of eligibility of such program, and create  criteria  to
conduct risk or vulnerability assessment on not-for-profit organizations
throughout the state.
  2.  The  office of homeland security shall secure public comment about
resources to assist not-for-profit institutions  in  providing  security
for its facilities and include such comment in its written report.
  3.  The  office  of  homeland  security  shall submit its findings and
recommendations in writing on or before December 31, 2009.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
deemed repealed December 31, 2009.