BILL NUMBER: S7556A

SPONSOR: BIAGGI
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend chapter 465 of the laws of 1994, amending chapter 285 of
the laws of 1891 relating to charging a fee for admission to the New
York Botanical Garden, in relation to the effectiveness thereof

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to give the New York Botanical Garden
authorization to charge or not charge an admission fee.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one extends the expiration date authorizing the New York Botan-
ical Garden to charge a fee for admission by the general public to help
sustain the organization's operations and botanical exhibits.

Section two sets forth an immediate effective date.
              

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) charges nominal and varying fees
for admission to certain exhibits of this organization. They must be
authorized to continue to do so in order to remain open to the public
and a financially viable organization that can continue to host new
living exhibits. This legislation will provide NYBG with parity among
other organizations that are not required to pass legislation yearly to
charge admission.  The following organizations charge for admission and
do not require legislation to do so:

 
BRONX:
Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance
Bronx River Arts Center
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
Hostos Center for Performing Arts
Pregones Theater
Wave Hill
 
MANHATTAN:

American Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Hall
El Museo del Barrio
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
MoMa
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Opera
Museum of the City of New York
New York City Ballet
New York Historical Society
New York Philharmonic
Public Theater
Studio Museum in Harlem
Guggenheim
The Whitney
 
BROOKLYN:

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Brooklyn Children's Museum
Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
NY Aquarium
 
QUEENS:

Flushing Town Hall
Museum of the Moving Image
Queens Botanical Garden
Queens Museum Queens Theater
 
STATEN ISLAND:

Snug Harbor and Cultural Center Staten Island Children's Museum Staten
Island Historical Society Staten Island Museum
Staten Island Zoo

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019: passed Senate and Assembly, vetoed (memo 148)

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.