S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  2895

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 21, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SCHIMMINGER,  HOYT, CANESTRARI, ENGLEBRIGHT,
  GUNTHER, PHEFFER, FIELDS -- Multi-Sponsored by --  M.  of  A.  CAHILL,
  CLARK,  DelMONTE,  GALEF, MAGEE, McENENY, MILLMAN, RABBITT, P. RIVERA,
  TOWNS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Arts  and
  Sports Development

AN  ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law and
  the general municipal law, in relation to authorizing an  adopt-a-park
  program

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 3.09 of the parks, recreation  and
historic preservation law is amended to read as follows:
  4.  Cooperate in the planning, organization, development and operation
of municipal and private park, recreational  and  historic  preservation
projects  and programs.   THE COMMISSIONER MAY PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE TO MUNICIPALITIES FOR THE PLANNING, ORGANIZATION,  DEVELOPMENT  AND
OPERATION  OF  ADOPT-A-PARK  PROGRAMS UNDERTAKEN PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO
HUNDRED SEVENTY-SEVEN OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT
LIMITED  TO,  THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF AN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE
FOR PARTICIPANTS IN SUCH PROGRAMS.
  S 2. Section 277 of the general municipal law, as added by chapter 626
of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
  S 277. Adopt-a-municipal park, shoreline or roadway programs.  1.  The
governing body of any county, city, town or village is hereby authorized
and  empowered  to authorize and direct such of its officers or agencies
as it shall designate to enter into adopt-a-park, shoreline  or  roadway
program  agreements with volunteers or groups in an effort to reduce and
remove litter from parks, shorelines, roadways and other  public  lands.
Such agreements shall include but not be limited to:
  a.  providing  and  coordinating  services  by volunteers or groups to
reduce the amount of litter including providing trash bags and trash bag

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD03797-01-9
              

A. 2895                             2

pick up and in designated areas where volunteers may be in close proxim-
ity to moving vehicles providing safety briefings and reflective  safety
gear; and
  b.  providing  and  installing  signs  identifying those volunteers or
groups adopting particular parks, shorelines, roadways or other sections
of public land.
  2. WITH RESPECT TO ADOPT-A-PARK PROGRAMS, A PROGRAM AGREEMENT MAY ALSO
BE ENTERED INTO FOR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES BY VOLUNTEERS OR GROUPS TO
PRESERVE, MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE MUNICIPALLY-OWNED  PARKS.  SUCH  PROGRAMS
MAY  INCLUDE,  BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, REMEDIATING VANDALISM, PRESERVING
WETLANDS, CLEANING AND MAINTAINING PARK PROPERTY, ESTABLISHING AND MAIN-
TAINING ACCESS TO NATURE TRAILS, ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING DOG  RUNS,
PLANTING  AND  MAINTAINING FLOWER BEDS OR OTHER VEGETATION, OR OTHERWISE
IMPROVING AND MAINTAINING THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF SUCH PARKS.
  3. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, THE  STATE,  the
county,  city, town or village and its employees shall not be liable for
damages suffered by any persons resulting from the actions or activities
of such volunteers or groups.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.