NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7582A

Senate Bill S7582A

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Enacts the "pollinator promotion act" to promote the health and viability of pollinators in the state

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Environmental Conservation 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
May 29, 2024	print number 7582a
May 29, 2024	amend and recommit to environmental conservation
Jan 03, 2024	referred to environmental conservation
Jun 21, 2023	referred to rules

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2023-S7582 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8204
Current Committee:: Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:: Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§3-0301 & 54-1523, En Con L; add §§235-c & 409-n, Ed L; amd §19-a, Hway L

2023-S7582 - Summary

Enacts the "pollinator promotion act" to authorize the commissioner of environmental conservation to promote the health and viability of pollinators in the state and to provide state assistance payments to municipalities to adopt and implement pollinator promotion plans; requires certain pollinator health initiatives on SUNY campuses; directs the departments of education and environmental conservation to develop guidelines for school districts to implement certain pollinator friendly practices; directs the implementation of certain pollinator friendly practices on highway verges.

2023-S7582 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7582

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, the education law
and the highway law, in relation to enacting the "pollinator promotion
act"

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The Pollinator Promotion Act is a comprehensive bill actions New York
State can take to address pollinator health in a variety of domains to
enhance pollinator health through changing approaches to landscaping and
grounds maintenance, reducing the use of pesticides, and encouraging
agencies and all levels of government to actively engage in pollinator-
friendly practices.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Names the bill as the Pollinator Promotion Act.

Section 2: Adds the promotion of pollinator health and viability to the
authorities of the Department of Environmental Conservation, including
ensuring pollinator-friendly landscaping and maintenance practices where
practicable on any actively maintained state lands.

Section 3: adds pollinator promotion plans as an option under the
Climate Smart Communities program.

Section 4: adds the promotion of pollinator health and expansion of
supportive habitats on SUNY campuses by incorporating a variety of
established practices for universities to the system's duties.

Section 5: authorizes Cornell Cooperative Extensions to hire pollinator
ecologists or other individuals with expertise in pollinator health to
provide outreach and support on pollinator health for farmers and others
in the agriculture industry.

Section 6: authorizes the Department of Education to develop optional
guidelines for school districts to include pollinator friendly landscap-
ing and groundskeeping practices on school grounds.

Section 7: adds verges to the pollinator friendly practices for main-
taining state highways.

Section 8: establishes a hedgerow establishment and enhancement pilot
project to enhance natural conservation and pollinator habitats in agri-
cultural areas.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The word 'pollinators' often conjures the image of a single bee, the
European honey bee, drifting from flower to flower. The universe of
pollinating species is far broader than that. The United States is home
to more than 3,600 native bee species. More broadly, thousands of
species, including bees, birds, butterflies, and bats, help pollinate
all kinds of plans. Native pollinators are especially important because
they support native plants. These pollinators are collectively an essen-
tial foundation of every ecosystem, making plant reproduction possible
and supporting the entire food chain, including the many crops and
animals human society depends upon. Research shows significant declines
in pollinator population sizes and ranges, especially among native
pollinators.

This legislation will help the state begin to address these declines in
pollinator populations, especially native New York pollinators, by
encouraging a variety of actions in state government to establish polli-
nator-friendly habitats and introduce pollinator-friendly practices
across all levels of state government. This framework encourages agen-
cies and local governments to examine their practices to help conserve
pollinators by providing them with health habitats that are rich in a
variety of native plants, provide nesting sites, and are protected from
pesticides. The state can take significant steps to conserve our native
pollinators, often by simply altering existing practices and procedures
without incurring any new expenses.  For example, pollinators can be
supporting simply by incorporating a preference for native plants in
landscaping or reducing the use of pesticides on state lands where
appropriate.

Native plants are generally no more expensive at most greenhouses and
reducing the use of pesticides can even save money.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:

2023-S7582 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7582
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 21, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law,  the  education  law
   and the highway law, in relation to enacting the "pollinator promotion
   act"

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "pollinator promotion act".
   § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 3-0301 of the environmental conservation
 law  is  amended  by  adding  two  new  paragraphs jj and jjj to read as
 follows:
   JJ. PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND VIABILITY OF POLLINATORS IN  THE  STATE  BY
 SUPPORTING HABITAT PROTECTION, PROMOTING THE STATE'S NATIVE POLLINATORS,
 AND INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF POLLINATORS.
   JJJ.  ENSURE  THAT  ON  ANY LANDS OWNED AND ACTIVELY MAINTAINED BY THE
 STATE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO STATE PARKS, TIDAL  WETLANDS  AREAS,
 STATE  FORESTS,  HISTORIC  PARK PRESERVES, UNIQUE AREAS, WATERWAY ACCESS
 SITES, HISTORIC PARKS, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT  AREAS,  GOLF  COURSES,  BOAT
 LAUNCH  SITES,  CAMPGROUNDS, PRIMITIVE AREAS, WILD FORESTS, THE AGENCIES
 IN CHARGE OF  SUCH  MAINTENANCE  SHALL  INCORPORATE  POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY
 LANDSCAPING  PRACTICES  APPROPRIATE  TO  SUCH  LANDS,  INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO CREATING OR REESTABLISHING POLLINATOR  FRIENDLY  HABITATS  BY
 INCREASING  THE  ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS ON SUCH LANDS, ADJUSTING AND
 REDUCING MOWING PRACTICES AND THE USE OF PESTICIDES  IN  FAVOR  OF  NON-
 CHEMICAL  PEST  MANAGEMENT  METHODS,  AND ADDING SIGNAGE TO PUBLIC LANDS
 EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE USE OF  SUCH  POLLINATOR  FRIENDLY  PRAC-
 TICES;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT  THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY
 LANDS WHERE SUCH PRACTICES ARE DEEMED IMPRACTICAL BY THE  DEPARTMENT  OR
 OTHER  APPROPRIATE  AGENCY,  THAT HAVE A DEDICATED USE INCOMPATIBLE WITH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11667-04-3
 S. 7582                             2

 
 THIS PARAGRAPH, OR THAT ARE OTHERWISE PROTECTED FROM ACTIVE  MAINTENANCE
 BY LEGAL AGREEMENT OR THE STATE CONSTITUTION;
   §  3.  Paragraphs  h  and i of subdivision 1 of section 54-1523 of the
 environmental conservation law, as amended by section 1 of part  KKK  of
 chapter  58  of  the  laws of 2022, are amended and a new paragraph j is
 added to read as follows:
   h. to  establish  and  implement  easily-replicated  renewable  energy
 projects, including solar arrays, heat pumps and wind turbines in public
 low-income housing in suburban, urban and rural areas; [and]
   i. land acquisition, including but not limited to flood mitigation and
 coastal  riparian  resiliency;  provided,  however,  no  monies shall be
 expended for acquisition by eminent domain[.]; AND
   J. ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION  OF  A  POLLINATOR  PROMOTION  PLAN  TO
 INCLUDE  CLIMATE-RESILIENT AND POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PLANTS IN MAINTENANCE
 AND LANDSCAPING UNDERTAKEN BY THE MUNICIPALITY, INCLUDING  THE  ADDITION
 OF CONNECTIVE ZONES TO SUPPORT POLLINATORS SUCH AS WILDFLOWER STRIPS AND
 AT  LEAST  ONE  DEDICATED POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GARDEN DEDICATED TO NATIVE
 PLANTS AND SPECIES.
   § 4. The education law is amended by adding a  new  section  235-c  to
 read as follows:
   §  235-C. PROMOTION OF POLLINATOR HEALTH. TO PROMOTE POLLINATOR HEALTH
 AND EXPAND SUPPORTIVE HABITATS, EACH STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK CAMPUS
 SHALL:
   1. ESTABLISH A STANDING COMMITTEE OF  STUDENTS,  FACULTY,  AND  STAFF,
 INCLUDING  A  MEMBER OF THE GROUNDS OR LANDSCAPING DEPARTMENTS, TO ADVO-
 CATE FOR POLLINATORS;
   2. CREATE AND ENHANCE POLLINATOR HABITATS ON CAMPUS BY INCREASING  THE
 ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND SUPPORTIVE HABITATS ON CAMPUS;
   3. CREATE AND ADOPT AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN TO PREVENT PEST
 PROBLEMS,  REDUCE PESTICIDE USE, AND EXPAND THE USE OF NON-CHEMICAL PEST
 MANAGEMENT METHODS;
   4. OFFER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AS  APPROPRIATE  FOR  STUDENTS  AND
 COMMUNITY  MEMBERS ABOUT NATIVE POLLINATORS AND POLLINATOR CONSERVATION;
 AND
   5. OFFER YEARLY SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECTS ON CAMPUS TO ENHANCE  POLLI-
 NATOR HABITATS.
   § 5. The education law is amended by adding a new section 5717 to read
 as follows:
   §  5717.  POLLINATOR  HEALTH;  CORNELL  COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. CORNELL
 COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO HIRE POLLINATOR ECOLOGISTS,
 MASTER GARDENERS, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS  WITH  EXPERTISE  IN  POLLINATOR
 HEALTH  TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORT FOR FARMERS AND OTHERS IN THE
 AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY TO IMPLEMENT POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PRACTICES, AND  TO
 PROVIDE  EDUCATION  FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON POLLINATORS AND POLLINATOR
 PROMOTION AND OTHER  TOPICS  IN  THE  FIELD  OF  POLLINATOR  HEALTH  AND
 PROMOTION PRACTICES.
   §  6.  The  education  law is amended by adding a new section 409-n to
 read as follows:
   § 409-N. POLLINATOR FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING. THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTA-
 TION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION,  SHALL  DEVELOP
 GUIDELINES  THAT  ANY  SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE MAY CHOOSE TO IMPLE-
 MENT, THAT SHALL INCLUDE PROCEDURES FOR POLLINATOR FRIENDLY  LANDSCAPING
 AND  GROUNDSKEEPING PRACTICES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE USE OF
 NATIVE PLANTS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, INCORPORATING POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PRAC-
 TICES INTO SCHOOL GARDENS, AND REDUCING THE USE OF PESTICIDES ON  SCHOOL
 GROUNDS.
 S. 7582                             3
 
   § 7. Section 19-a of the highway law, as added by chapter 763  of  the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   §  19-a. Pollinator friendly plant species; medians AND VERGES. 1. The
 commissioner shall, in cooperation with the department of  environmental
 conservation,  develop  policies  and procedures to encourage the use of
 native plant species that are pollinator friendly in medians AND  VERGES
 along highways under the jurisdiction of the department and to encourage
 and provide technical assistance to counties, cities, towns and villages
 in the use of native plant species that are pollinator friendly in medi-
 ans  AND VERGES along highways under the respective jurisdiction of such
 counties, cities, towns and villages.
   2. The commissioner shall develop policies and procedures  for  mowing
 medians  AND  VERGES located along highways on the state system of high-
 ways that will, wherever feasible and consistent with standards of safe-
 ty for motor vehicle operators, cyclists, and  pedestrians,  reduce  the
 amount of area within such highway medians AND VERGES that is mowed.
   §  8.  Hedgerow  pilot  program. (a) The department of agriculture and
 markets is hereby authorized to establish a hedgerow  pilot  program  to
 help  farmers across the state of New York establish and enhance hedger-
 ows on their properties to enhance natural conservations.
   (b) Funds for such pilot program shall be pursued through any applica-
 ble United States department of agriculture programs or through legisla-
 tive appropriations.
   (c) Hedgerows established or enhanced pursuant to this  section  shall
 not  include  species that host pests or diseases that could pose a risk
 to nearby crops, or  that  are  listed  as  noxious  weeds  or  invasive
 species.    For  the  purposes  of the pilot program under this section,
 farmers may apply for hedgerow grants for one or more of  the  following
 purposes:  (i)  to provide food, cover, and travel corridors for terres-
 trial wildlife; (ii) to provide pollinator habitats;  (iii)  to  provide
 substrate  for  beneficial  insects  as  a  component of integrated pest
 management; (iv) to provide food, cover, and shade for aquatic organisms
 that live in adjacent watercourses; and (v) to increase  carbon  storage
 in biomass and soils.
   (d)  Eligible  projects under the pilot program established under this
 section shall be located in, across, or around agricultural fields.  The
 pilot program shall not apply to plantings that are intended to function
 primarily as field borders, riparian buffers, or windbreaks. All hedger-
 ows  established or enhanced pursuant to this section shall be a minimum
 of six feet wide if seeded, or a minimum of one row wide if planted with
 seedlings or larger stock.
   (e) The department of agriculture and markets shall develop  appropri-
 ate  rules  and  regulations  for  the pilot program under this section,
 including standards for eligible projects to include maintenance commit-
 ments, the control of competing vegetation, protection of hedgerows from
 livestock grazing and trampling, and compliance with all state, federal,
 and local laws.
   (f) For the purposes of this section, the term "hedgerows" shall  mean
 planned  sections  at  the  borders  of  fields  that make use of trees,
 shrubs, and/or perennial bunch grasses producing erect  stems  attaining
 average  heights of at least three feet and persisting well over winter,
 that contain plants suited and adapted  to  soil  and  site  conditions,
 climate,  and  conservation  purposes, and that focus on New York native
 plants.
   § 9. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
 if  chapter  763  of  the laws of 2022 shall not have taken effect on or
 S. 7582                             4
 
 before such date then section seven of this act shall take effect on the
 same date and in the same manner as such chapter of the  laws  of  2022,
 takes effect.

2023-S7582A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8204
Current Committee:: Senate Environmental Conservation
Law Section:: Environmental Conservation Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§3-0301 & 54-1523, En Con L; add §§235-c & 409-n, Ed L; amd §19-a, Hway L

2023-S7582A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S7582A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7582A

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, the education law
and the highway law, in relation to enacting the "pollinator promotion
act"

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The Pollinator Promotion Act is a comprehensive bill actions New York
State can take to address pollinator health in a variety of domains to
enhance pollinator health through changing approaches to landscaping and
grounds maintenance, reducing the use of pesticides, and encouraging
agencies and all levels of government to actively engage in pollinator-
friendly practices.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Names the bill as the Pollinator Promotion Act.

Section 2: Adds the promotion of pollinator health and viability to the
authorities of the Department of Environmental Conservation, including
ensuring pollinator-friendly landscaping and maintenance practices where
practicable on any actively maintained state lands.

Section 3: adds pollinator promotion plans as an option under the
Climate Smart Communities program.

Section 4: adds the promotion of pollinator health and expansion of
supportive habitats on SUNY campuses by encouraging campuses to incorpo-
rate a variety of established practices for universities to their ongo-
ing groundskeeping and maintenance efforts.

Section 5: authorizes the Department of Education to develop optional
guidelines for school districts to include pollinator friendly landscap-
ing and groundskeeping practices on school grounds.

Section 6: adds verges to the pollinator friendly practices for main-
taining state highways.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The word 'pollinators' often conjures the image of a single bee, the
European honey bee, drifting from flower to flower. The universe of
pollinating species is far broader than that. The United States is home
to more than 3,600 native bee species. More broadly, thousands of
species, including bees, birds, butterflies, and bats, help pollinate
all kinds of p lans. Native pollinators are especially important because
they support native plants. These pollinators are collectively an essen-
tial foundation of every ecosystem, making plant reproduction possible
and supporting the entire food chain, including the many crops and
animals human society depends upon. Research shows significant declines
in pollinator population sizes and ranges, especially among native
pollinators.

This legislation will help the state begin to address these declines in
pollinator populations, especially native New York pollinators, by
encouraging a variety of actions in state government to establish polli-
nator-friendly habitats and introduce pollinator-friendly practices
across all levels of state government. This framework encourages agen-
cies and local governments to examine their practices to help conserve
pollinators by providing them with health habitats that are rich in a
variety of native plants, provide nesting sites, and are protected from
pesticides. The state can take significant steps to conserve our native
pollinators, often by simply altering existing practices and procedures
without incurring any new expenses.  For example, pollinators can be
supporting simply by incorporating a preference for native plants in
landscaping or reducing the use of pesticides on state lands where
appropriate. Native plants are generally no more expensive at most
greenhouses and reducing the use of pesticides can even save money.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after becoming law.

2023-S7582A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7582--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 21, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules  --  recommitted  to
   the  Committee on Environmental Conservation in accordance with Senate
   Rule  6,  sec.  8  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT  to  amend the environmental conservation law, the education law
   and the highway law, in relation to enacting the "pollinator promotion
   act"
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "pollinator promotion act".
   § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 3-0301 of the environmental conservation
 law is amended by adding two new  paragraphs  jj  and  jjj  to  read  as
 follows:
   JJ.  PROMOTE  THE  HEALTH AND VIABILITY OF POLLINATORS IN THE STATE BY
 SUPPORTING HABITAT PROTECTION, PROMOTING THE STATE'S NATIVE POLLINATORS,
 AND INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF POLLINATORS.
   JJJ. ENSURE THAT ON ANY LANDS OWNED AND  ACTIVELY  MAINTAINED  BY  THE
 STATE,  INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO STATE PARKS, TIDAL WETLANDS AREAS,
 STATE FORESTS, HISTORIC PARK PRESERVES, UNIQUE  AREAS,  WATERWAY  ACCESS
 SITES,  HISTORIC  PARKS,  WILDLIFE  MANAGEMENT AREAS, GOLF COURSES, BOAT
 LAUNCH SITES, CAMPGROUNDS, PRIMITIVE AREAS, WILD FORESTS,  THE  AGENCIES
 IN  CHARGE  OF  SUCH  MAINTENANCE  SHALL INCORPORATE POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY
 LANDSCAPING PRACTICES APPROPRIATE  TO  SUCH  LANDS,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
 LIMITED  TO  CREATING  OR REESTABLISHING POLLINATOR FRIENDLY HABITATS BY
 INCREASING THE ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS ON SUCH LANDS,  ADJUSTING  AND
 REDUCING  MOWING  PRACTICES  AND  THE USE OF PESTICIDES IN FAVOR OF NON-
 CHEMICAL PEST MANAGEMENT METHODS, AND ADDING  SIGNAGE  TO  PUBLIC  LANDS
 EDUCATING  THE  PUBLIC  ABOUT  THE USE OF SUCH POLLINATOR FRIENDLY PRAC-
 TICES; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL  NOT  APPLY  TO  ANY
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11667-05-4

 S. 7582--A                          2
 
 LANDS  WHERE  SUCH PRACTICES ARE DEEMED IMPRACTICAL BY THE DEPARTMENT OR
 OTHER APPROPRIATE AGENCY, THAT HAVE A DEDICATED  USE  INCOMPATIBLE  WITH
 THIS  PARAGRAPH, OR THAT ARE OTHERWISE PROTECTED FROM ACTIVE MAINTENANCE
 BY LEGAL AGREEMENT OR THE STATE CONSTITUTION;
   §  3.  Paragraphs  h  and i of subdivision 1 of section 54-1523 of the
 environmental conservation law, as amended by section 1 of part  KKK  of
 chapter  58  of  the  laws of 2022, are amended and a new paragraph j is
 added to read as follows:
   h. to  establish  and  implement  easily-replicated  renewable  energy
 projects, including solar arrays, heat pumps and wind turbines in public
 low-income housing in suburban, urban and rural areas; [and]
   i. land acquisition, including but not limited to flood mitigation and
 coastal  riparian  resiliency;  provided,  however,  no  monies shall be
 expended for acquisition by eminent domain[.]; AND
   J. CLIMATE-RESILIENT LANDSCAPING AND LAND MAINTENANCE AND LAND MAINTE-
 NANCE SUCH AS CONNECTING GREEN SPACES, USE OF NATIVE SPECIES, AND POLLI-
 NATOR-FRIENDLY PLANTING.
   § 4. The education law is amended by adding a  new  section  235-c  to
 read as follows:
   § 235-C. PROMOTION OF POLLINATOR HEALTH.  EACH STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
 YORK  CAMPUS  SHALL  CONSIDER  POLICIES TO PROMOTE POLLINATOR HEALTH AND
 EXPAND SUPPORTIVE HABITATS.  POSSIBLE CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE  GUIDELINES
 FOR:
   1.  ESTABLISHING A STANDING COMMITTEE OF STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF,
 INCLUDING A MEMBER OF THE GROUNDS OR LANDSCAPING DEPARTMENTS, TO  EVALU-
 ATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING POLLINATOR HABITATS ON CAMPUS;
   2.  INCREASING  THE ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND SUPPORTIVE HABITATS
 ON CAMPUS;
   3. ADOPTING AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN TO PREVENT  PEST  PROB-
 LEMS,  REDUCE  PESTICIDE  USE,  AND  EXPAND THE USE OF NON-CHEMICAL PEST
 MANAGEMENT METHODS;
   4. OFFERING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AS APPROPRIATE FOR STUDENTS  AND
 COMMUNITY  MEMBERS ABOUT NATIVE POLLINATORS AND POLLINATOR CONSERVATION;
 AND
   5. OFFERING YEARLY SERVICE-LEARNING  PROJECTS  ON  CAMPUS  TO  ENHANCE
 POLLINATOR HABITATS.
   §  5.  The  education  law is amended by adding a new section 409-n to
 read as follows:
   § 409-N. POLLINATOR FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING. THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTA-
 TION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION,  SHALL  DEVELOP
 GUIDELINES  FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR POLLINATOR FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING AND
 GROUNDSKEEPING PRACTICES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,  THE  USE  OF
 NATIVE PLANTS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, INCORPORATING POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PRAC-
 TICES  INTO SCHOOL GARDENS, AND REDUCING THE USE OF PESTICIDES ON SCHOOL
 GROUNDS.
   § 6. Section 19-a of the highway law, as added by chapter 763  of  the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   § 19-a. Pollinator friendly plant species; medians AND VERGES. 1.  The
 commissioner  shall, in cooperation with the department of environmental
 conservation, develop policies and procedures to encourage  the  use  of
 native  plant species that are pollinator friendly in medians AND VERGES
 along highways under the jurisdiction of the department and to encourage
 and provide technical assistance to counties, cities, towns and villages
 in the use of native plant species that are pollinator friendly in medi-
 ans AND VERGES along highways under the respective jurisdiction of  such
 counties, cities, towns and villages.
 S. 7582--A                          3
 
   2.  The  commissioner shall develop policies and procedures for mowing
 medians AND VERGES located along highways on the state system  of  high-
 ways that will, wherever feasible and consistent with standards of safe-
 ty  for  motor  vehicle operators, cyclists, and pedestrians, reduce the
 amount of area within such highway medians AND VERGES that is mowed.
   §  7.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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