NY State Senate Bill 2023-S9474

Senate Bill S9474

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Provides free use of state parks for members or citizens of state or federally recognized Native American nations

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
May 15, 2024	referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation

2023-S9474 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation
Law Section:: Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §13.19, Pks & Rec L

2023-S9474 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides free use of public campsites, parks and other public places of recreation in this state for members or citizens of state or federally recognized Native American nations.

2023-S9474 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9474

SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to providing free use of state parks for members or citizens of
state or federally recognized Native American nations.

 
PURPOSE:;




This legislation amends the parks, recreation, and historic preservation
law to allow any member or citizen of a state or federally recognized
Native American Nation to have free access to state parks and campsites.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

The legislation would amend section 13.19 of the parks, recreation, and
historic preservation law, as amended by chapter 649 of the laws of

1977.

Section one amends the law by adding members or citizens of state and
federally recognized Native American Nations as among those who can
access free use of state parks and campsites.

Section two establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:;

This bill would include members or citizens of state and federally
recognized Native American Nations as among those who are able to access
New York State parks and campsites free of charge. Prior to European
colonization, the modern boundaries of New York State encompassed at
least fifteen Native American Nations. New York's parklands preserve the
natural state of lands as they have existed for millennia, making them
historically and culturally significant to the indigenous communities of
New York State.

The federal government allows free entrance for members or citizens of
American Indian Nations or traditionally associated groups to National
Parks for non-recreational activities, and the State of Minnesota allows
American Indians who are members or citizens of federally recognized
Nations within the state to access state parks and recreation areas free
of charge.

By providing free access to state parks and campsites to members or
citizens of Native American Nations, New York State is honoring the
connection of Native Americans to their ancestral lands.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: S7082

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall become
law.

2023-S9474 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9474
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- 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 free use of state parks for members or citizens
   of state or federally recognized Native American nations

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and historic preser-
 vation law, as amended by chapter 616 of the laws of 2023, subdivision 2
 as  amended  by  chapter  103 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
 follows:
   § 13.19 Free use  of  PARKS  AND  campsites.  1.  Notwithstanding  the
 provisions of any other law, any person who is blind, non-ambulatory, or
 an  amputee  [or],  any  veteran or member of a Gold Star family, OR ANY
 MEMBER OR CITIZEN OF A STATE OR  FEDERALLY  RECOGNIZED  NATIVE  AMERICAN
 NATION  shall be permitted to use any of the public campsites, parks and
 other public places of recreation in this state, upon the same terms and
 conditions as apply to the general public, but without  the  payment  of
 any fees or other charges for the use of such campsites, parks and other
 public places of recreation.
   2.  For  the purposes of this section (a) "veteran" shall mean a resi-
 dent of this state who is: (i) a veteran as  such  term  is  defined  in
 section  one  of  the  veterans'  services law; or (ii) a person who has
 served on active duty for the state as a member of the  state  organized
 militia  as  defined  in subdivision nine of section one of the military
 law and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions  other
 than  dishonorable;  or  (iii) a person who has served on active duty in
 the uniformed services of the United States or on active  duty  for  the
 state  as  a member of the organized militia and has a qualifying condi-
 tion, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11511-03-4

 S. 9474                             2
 
 the  veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable from such service; and
   (b) "member of a Gold Star family" shall mean a resident of this state
 who is a gold star parent as defined in section twenty-six of the veter-
 ans'  services  law,  the spouse or domestic partner, or the biological,
 step, or legally adopted minor child of a veteran whose death  qualified
 the parent for an annuity.
   §  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 effective date.

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