NY State Senate Bill 2023-S1995

Senate Bill S1995

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Provides vehicular access to state parks and recreational facilities free of charge to military personnel who are residents of this state

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
Jan 18, 2023	referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation

2023-S1995 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3203
Current Committee:: Senate Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation
Law Section:: Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law
Laws Affected:: Add §13.22, Pks & Rec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S7030, A8922
2021-2022: S2152, A5254

2023-S1995 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to providing vehicular access to state parks and recreational facilities free of charge to military personnel who are residents of this state.

2023-S1995 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1995

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to providing vehicular access to state parks and recreational
facilities free of charge to military personnel who are residents of
this state

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill expands eligibility of Empire Passes to access New York State
parks without fee for vehicle entry, admission fees, and other fees for
park amenities to US and NYS members of the armed forces as well as
their dependents who are residents of New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: makes Empire Passports available to all U.S. military person-
nel and reserve members, NYS division of military and naval affairs
personnel and reserve members, and immediate family members of such

persons.

Section 2: effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Under current policy, Empire Passes are available for purchase at $80.00
annually. Active duty military personnel and their immediate families in
support of the war on terrorism may apply for free annual Empire Passes
under Executive Order 125 and the Patriot Plan Benefit.  Additionally,
disabled veterans may apply for the Lifetime Liberty Pass. The federal
government of the United States already has a similar policy to the
proposed policy. The National Park Service offers Annual America the
Beautiful Passes for purchase at $80.00. US military members and their
dependents in any branch including National Guard and Reserve members
may obtain the same pass at no cost with presentation of a valid Common
Access card or Military ID.  These passes cover entrance fees and stand-
ard amenity fees at national parks, national wildlife refuges, national
forests and grasslands, and lands managed by the Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, Bureau of Reclamation, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Mili-
tary members living in New York have fewer opportunities to use public
lands than those in other states farther west because most public lands
in New York are operated by the state government instead of the federal
government which has this policy in place. Under New York State's Execu-
tive Order 125, members of the New York State National Guard or military
reserves currently on active duty are eligible for one free Empire Pass
Card for use by the service member and their immediate family. This
legislation establishes Executive Order 125 in state law as well as
expanding the availability of Empire Passes for all US and New York
State military personnel and reservists.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-2022 - S.2152(May) / A.5254(Barrett)

2019-2020 - S.7030(May) / A.8922(Barrett)

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after becoming law.

2023-S1995 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1995
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 18, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
   Parks and Recreation
 
 AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law,  in
   relation to providing vehicular access to state parks and recreational
   facilities  free  of charge to military personnel who are residents of
   this state
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  parks,  recreation  and historic preservation law is
 amended by adding a new section 13.22 to read as follows:
   § 13.22 FREE ACCESS TO PARKS; MILITARY PERSONNEL. 1.   NOTWITHSTANDING
 THE  PROVISIONS  OF SECTION 13.15 OF THIS ARTICLE OR ANY OTHER PROVISION
 OF LAW, THE ANNUAL VEHICULAR ACCESS  TO  STATE  PARKS  AND  RECREATIONAL
 FACILITIES,  THE  "THREE-YEAR EMPIRE PASSPORT" AND THE "FIVE-YEAR EMPIRE
 PASSPORT" ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 13.16,  13.18  AND  13.20  OF
 THIS  ARTICLE, SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF THE STATE WHO
 ARE UNITED STATES MILITARY PERSONNEL, NEW YORK STATE DIVISION  OF  MILI-
 TARY  AND  NAVAL  AFFAIRS  PERSONNEL,  UNITED  STATES  MILITARY  RESERVE
 MEMBERS, NEW YORK STATE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL  AFFAIRS  RESERVE
 MEMBERS, AND IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF SUCH PERSONS.
   2.  APPLICATION SHALL BE MADE FOR SUCH VEHICULAR ACCESS OR PASSPORT IN
 A MANNER AND FORM TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SHALL INCLUDE
 VALID PROOF OF SERVICE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A  COMMON  ACCESS
 CARD OR MILITARY IDENTIFICATION CARD.
   3.  THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS
 NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such date.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD00446-01-3

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