NY State Senate Bill 2025-S3747

Senate Bill S3747

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Directs the department of economic development to conduct a study regarding increasing public access to museums in New York city

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 29, 2025	referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation

2025-S3747 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4519
Current Committee:: Senate Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation
Law Section:: Arts and Cultural Affairs
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S5265, A3059

2025-S3747 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the department of economic development, in conjunction with various departments and offices, to conduct a study regarding increasing public access to museums in New York city; directs a report on such study to be submitted no later than one year after the effective date.

2025-S3747 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S3747

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the department of economic development to conduct a
study regarding increasing public access to museums in New York city

 
PURPOSE:

New York City is home to the world's most noteworthy museums, zoos,
performing arts centers, botanical gardens and more thanks to a unique
mid-19th century public-private partnership. Since then, due to various
circumstances public access to many of New York City's noteworthy insti-
tutions has decreased. This bill would set fourth a study that focuses
on the historic and current status of public access and free access to
17 of New York city's most noteworthy institutions. The study will exam-
ine the financial status, current policies and practices, historic and
current mission and purpose of these museums. The study will also focus
on the enabling legislating, statutory requirement and historical chang-
es regarding free public access and free admission.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

§ 1 - Directs the department of economic development, in conjunction
with the Empire State Development Corporation, the Department of Educa-
tion, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the
Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of State, New
York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Parks Department
and the New York State Council on the Arts to conduct a study of seven-
teen museums.

§ 2 - Provides that the Scope of the shall focus on current barriers to
public access, the historical access by the public, laws governing free
public access, the financial and operational impact of increasing public
access, financial support since the creation of these museums and the
other topics that shall be included in the study.

§ 3 - Provides that a report of the findings, and recommendations shall
be field with Governor, Temporary President of Senate, and the Speaker
of the Assembly within one year of the effective date of this act

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New Yorkers deserve access to the museums and cultural institutions
created for their access and education. In the mid-1800s, a group of New
York City industrialists had a shared ambition to curate New York City's
prominence on the world stage by showcasing their enviable arts and
science collections while preparing the influx of immigrants for citi-
zenry and work. The planning for Olmstead's and Vaux's "central" park
was well underway. Andrew Greene, then-President of New York City's
Board of Education, envisioned the park as an education and cultural
campus. The education and cultural central park required short term and
long-term-financing - the "public's" tax dollars and the "private's"
possessions.

The city agreed to provide free rent, use of park land and buildings
constructed with funds from New York City's capital budget and later
operating subsidies in exchange for New Yorkers' free admission.  These
terms were written into founding legislation for 17 institutions located
across New York City's public park land. Today due to various changes to
operations, financial situations and historical circumstances all 17
institutions require New Yorkers to pay a stated or pay what you wish
fee, increasing barriers to public access and free admission.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is the first introduction of this bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately upon enactment.

2025-S3747 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3747
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 29, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
   Parks and Recreation
 
 AN ACT to direct the department of economic  development  to  conduct  a
   study regarding increasing public access to museums in New York city

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Study. a.   The  department  of  economic  development,  in
 conjunction  with  the empire state development corporation, the depart-
 ment of education, the office of parks, recreation and historic  preser-
 vation,  the department of environmental conservation, the department of
 state, the New York city department of cultural affairs,  the  New  York
 city  parks  department,  and the New York state council on the arts, is
 hereby directed to conduct a comprehensive study  on  increasing  public
 access to museums in New York city.
   b.  The  museums that shall be identified in such study operate as and
 shall include, but not be limited to  the  American  Museum  of  Natural
 History,  Brooklyn  Botanic  Garden, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn
 Children's Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Museum of the City of New York,  New
 York  Botanical  Garden, New York Hall of Science, Staten Island Museum,
 Staten Island Zoo, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wave Hill, Bronx Zoo,
 Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, Prospect Park Zoo, and Queens Flor-
 ham Park Zoo.
   § 2. Scope. The study  shall  focus  on  current  barriers  to  public
 access,  historical  access  by  the  public, laws governing free public
 access, the  financial  and  operational  impact  of  increasing  public
 access,  financial  support  received  by  museums from governmental and
 other entities, and changes in such financial support since the creation
 of these museums. To that end, the topics to be studied  shall  include,
 but not be limited to:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08118-01-5
 S. 3747                             2

 
   a.  the financial status of such museums, including assets, sources of
 income, endowment portfolios, and expenses;
   b.  current  policies  and  practices of such museums regarding public
 access, with a focus on laws regarding free access and admission;
   c. historic and current mission, purpose, and operations of such muse-
 ums;
   d. enabling legislation and  other  statutory  requirements  regarding
 free public access and free admission;
   e. historical changes in free access by the public; and
   f.  historical  changes  in  support by various governmental entities,
 including operational funding, use and value of land and buildings owned
 by the state or the city of New York.
   § 3. Report and recommendations. A report  of  the  findings  of  such
 study  shall  be filed with the governor, the temporary president of the
 senate, and the speaker of the assembly no later than one year after the
 effective date of this act.  The report shall include recommendations on
 increasing public access, including expanding free public access, and an
 analysis of what measures will need to be taken to  ensure  such  access
 while not undermining the operations or missions of the museums.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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