S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7150
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 18, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- 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 creating the "Women's rights history trail" program

   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 article 42 to read as follows:
                                 ARTICLE 42
                   WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL PROGRAM
 SECTION 42.01 LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
         42.03 DEFINITIONS.
         42.05 GENERAL FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONER.
   § 42.01 LEGISLATIVE   INTENT.  THE  LEGISLATURE  RECOGNIZES  THAT  THE
 WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS ONE OF THE THREE GREAT PROTEST TRADITIONS  IN
 UNITED  STATES HISTORY, SHARING THAT STATUS WITH THE STRUGGLE FOR RACIAL
 EQUALITY AND THE LABOR MOVEMENTS.
   THE LEGISLATURE FURTHER RECOGNIZES THAT THE  WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  MOVEMENT
 HAS  A  STRONG  TRADITION  IN THE STATE.   IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY THE
 STATE WAS AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS  MOVEMENT.  ON  JULY
 19,  1848, A GROUP OF ACTIVISTS INCLUDING ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, LUCRE-
 TIA MOTT AND MARY ANN M'CLINTOCK,  CONVENED  THE  FIRST  WOMEN'S  RIGHTS
 CONVENTION AT WESLEYAN CHAPEL IN SENECA FALLS. DURING THE CONVENTION, 68
 WOMEN  AND  32  MEN  SIGNED  THE DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS CALLING FOR A
 BROAD ARRAY OF RIGHTS FOR WOMEN, INCLUDING SUFFRAGE.  IN 1868, SUSAN  B.
 ANTHONY  HELPED TO FOUND THE AMERICAN EQUAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION. IN 1890,
 UNDER HER LEADERSHIP AND THE LEADERSHIP OF ELIZABETH CADY  STANTON,  THE
 NATIONAL  AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION (NAWSA) WAS FORMED.  NAWSA
 WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN  SECURING  PASSAGE  OF  THE  19TH  AMENDMENT,  WHICH
 AMENDED  THE  CONSTITUTION  TO  GIVE  WOMEN  THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE 19TH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08001-01-3
              

 S. 7150                             2
 
 AMENDMENT WAS PASSED BY CONGRESS ON JUNE 4, 1919, AND  WAS  RATIFIED  ON
 AUGUST  18,  1920.  SUSAN  B.  ANTHONY ALSO CAMPAIGNED FOR THE RIGHTS OF
 WOMEN TO OWN PROPERTY, TO KEEP THEIR OWN EARNINGS, AND TO  HAVE  CUSTODY
 OF THEIR CHILDREN. IN 1900, SHE PERSUADED THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER TO
 ADMIT  WOMEN.    IN  THE LATE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURIES, THE WOMEN'S
 MOVEMENT EXPANDED TO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN SHAPING POLICIES ON  EDUCA-
 TION,  LEGAL  REFORM,  AND ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELFARE.  THE LEGISLATURE
 RECOGNIZES THAT THERE ARE MANY NOTABLE WOMEN IN THE STATE WHO FOUGHT FOR
 WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE. IT IS THEREFORE THE INTENT OF THIS LEGISLATURE TO HAVE
 CREATED A PROGRAM THAT WILL SYSTEMATICALLY IDENTIFY PROPERTIES AND SITES
 FOR INCLUSION INTO A WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  HISTORY  TRAIL.    BY  CREATING  A
 WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  HISTORY  TRAIL,  THE STATE WILL ENCOURAGE THE EDUCATION
 ABOUT AND AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE STATE  IN  THE
 WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  MOVEMENT  AND  THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HISTORY AS WELL AS
 ATTRACT VISITORS TO THE STATE AND ENHANCE  THE  STATE'S  TOURISM  TRADE.
 FURTHER  IT  IS THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO ENSURE THAT THE WOMEN'S
 RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL IS ADEQUATELY SIGNED SO THAT TRAVELERS  MAY  FOLLOW
 THE TRAIL INDEPENDENTLY AND WITH EASE.
   § 42.03 DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS
 SHALL APPLY:
   1.  "WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  HISTORY TRAIL" SHALL MEAN A SERIES OF PROPERTIES
 AND SITES IDENTIFIED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER,  WHICH  MAY  BE  LINKED  BY
 GEOGRAPHIC  PROXIMITY  AND ALIGNMENT AND THEMATIC AND HISTORICAL ASSOCI-
 ATION WITH WOMEN'S RIGHTS.
   2. "WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY PASSPORT" SHALL MEAN  A  BOOKLET  OR  OTHER
 PUBLICATION THAT NAMES AND DESCRIBES THE PROPERTIES AND SITES IDENTIFIED
 BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  AND INCLUDED ON THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL,
 AND MAY INCLUDE DISCOUNTS AND OTHER INCENTIVES RELATED TO  VISITING  THE
 PROPERTIES AND SITES ON THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL.
   §  42.05 GENERAL  FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONER. 1.
 THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE "WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY
 TRAIL" PROGRAM. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL PROMOTE EDUCATION  AND  AWARENESS  OF
 THE STRUGGLE FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY. THE COMMISSIONER, IN
 CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION, AND ANY OTHER PROP-
 ERTIES  OR SITES AS IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND ANY LOCAL GOVERN-
 MENT OFFICIAL OR ENTITY, SHALL IDENTIFY PROPERTIES AND  SITES  THAT  ARE
 HISTORICALLY  AND  THEMATICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRUGGLE FOR WOMEN'S
 RIGHTS AND WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE TO BE PART OF THE TRAIL.
   2. THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL SHALL INCLUDE, BUT  SHALL  NOT  BE
 LIMITED  TO,  PROPERTIES  AND SITES WHICH TELL THE STORY OF THE SEVENTY-
 TWO-YEAR FIGHT FOR WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE. THESE PROPERTIES  AND  SITES  SHALL
 INCLUDE  THE  WOMEN'S  NATIONAL  HISTORICAL  PARK,  THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY
 BIRTHPLACE, THE ELIZABETH CADY STANTON HOUSES IN WASHINGTON  COUNTY  AND
 SENECA FALLS, SITES ASSOCIATED WITH ELIZABETH CADY STANTON IN JOHNSTOWN,
 WOODLAWN CEMETERY, SITES ASSOCIATED WITH CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, THE GERRIT
 AND  ANN  SMITH  HOUSE,  THE  MATILDA JOSLYN GAGE HOUSE, THE HARRIET MAY
 MILLS HOUSE, THE HARRIET TUBMAN HOME, THE STONE STORE MUSEUM, THE SEWARD
 HOUSE, SITES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SENECA FALLS WOMEN'S RIGHTS CONVENTION,
 THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SENECA FALLS, THE ONTARIO COUNTY COURT-
 HOUSE, THE 1816 FARMINGTON QUAKER MEETINGHOUSE,  THE  SUSAN  B.  ANTHONY
 HOUSE  IN  ROCHESTER,  THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY CHILDHOOD HOME IN WASHINGTON
 COUNTY, THE ALICE AUSTEN HOME IN THE BOROUGH OF STATEN  ISLAND,  BARNARD
 COLLEGE  IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, THE MICHIGAN STREET BAPTIST CHURCH
 IN BUFFALO, SITES ASSOCIATED WITH GRANDMA MOSES IN EASTON, AND ANY OTHER
 PROPERTIES OR SITES AS IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSIONER.  THE COMMISSIONER
 S. 7150                             3
 
 SHALL DEVELOP THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL SO THAT IT IS  RELATIVELY
 SIMPLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW FOR PATRONS.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CAUSE TO PRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE APPROPRIATE
 EDUCATIONAL  MATERIALS  REGARDING  THE  TRAIL  ROUTE, SUCH AS HANDBOOKS,
 MAPS, EXHIBITS, SIGNS, INTERPRETIVE GUIDES AND ELECTRONIC INFORMATION.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CAUSE TO BE DEVELOPED  VACATION  ITINERARIES
 BASED  ON  THE  WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  HISTORY TRAIL, WHICH SHALL IDENTIFY FOR
 VISITORS SURROUNDING ATTRACTIONS, RESTAURANTS, FARMS, LODGING AND  OTHER
 EXHIBITS  OR  PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT AS MAY BE A PART OF THE HISTORICAL
 THEME LINKING THE PROPERTIES AND SITES ON  THE  WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  HISTORY
 TRAIL.
   5.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL WORK TO DEVELOP DISCOUNT PACKAGES FOR SUCH
 WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL, WHICH MAY INCLUDE  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  A
 WOMEN'S  RIGHTS  HISTORY  TRAIL  PASSPORT.  NOTHING  SHALL  PRECLUDE THE
 COMMISSIONER FROM CONTRACTING WITH AN  INDEPENDENT  VACATION  OR  TRAVEL
 PACKAGE  COMPANY  TO  HELP  DEVELOP  VACATION PACKAGES ALONG THE WOMEN'S
 RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL.
   6. THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL COOPERATE WITH THE  OFFICE
 IN  CARRYING  OUT  THE  PROVISIONS  OF THIS SECTION. THE COMMISSIONER OF
 TRANSPORTATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PERMIT THE INSTALLATION AND  MAINTENANCE
 OF  SIGNS  ON THE STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM FOR TRAILS DESIGNATED PURSUANT TO
 THIS SECTION. HOWEVER, TO AVOID CONFUSION  AND  TO  LIMIT  ANY  POSSIBLE
 DISRUPTION  OF  COMMERCE,  THE  TRAIL DESIGNATION CALLED FOR PURSUANT TO
 THIS SECTION SHALL BE OF A CEREMONIAL NATURE AND THE OFFICIAL  NAMES  OF
 SUCH HIGHWAYS SHALL NOT BE CHANGED AS A RESULT OF SUCH DESIGNATIONS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.