S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2037
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  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 volunteer firefight-
   ers and volunteer ambulance personnel

   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 PERSON
 WHO IS A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE AND SERVES AS  AN  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER
 FIREFIGHTER,  AS  DEFINED  IN SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN OF THE GENERAL
 MUNICIPAL LAW, OR AS AN ENROLLED MEMBER OF A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE
 PURSUANT TO ARTICLE THIRTY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, 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  recre-
 ation.
   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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01637-01-5
              

 S. 2037                             2
 
 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
 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 one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date is authorized and directed to
 be made and completed on or before such effective date.