NY State Senate Bill 2025-S4697

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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 11, 2025	referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4909
Current Committee:: Senate Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation
Law Section:: Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law
Laws Affected:: Add §13.32, Pks & Rec L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S5956, A4112

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Creates the "Checkout NY" pass, a comprehensive pass that allows for free or discounted use of state parks, historic sites and recreational facilities; provides one such pass to each consolidated, federated and cooperative public library system within the state free of charge for circulation.

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4697

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to creating the "Checkout NY" pass, a comprehensive pass that
allows for free or discounted use of state parks, historic sites and
recreational facilities, and provides one such pass to each consol-
idated, federated and cooperative public library system within the state
free of charge for circulation

 
PURPOSE:

Allows local libraries to circulate the "Checkout NY" pass to their
patrons, which would allow the pass holder to access to any state park
or historical site operated by the office or department of environmental
conservation. This pass would provide access to these sites without
additional fees offered by the office for up to one year.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the parks, recreation, and historic preservation law by
adding a new section, 13.32, which creates the "Checkout NY" pass allow-
ing the pass holder admission without additional fee to any state park,
historical site, and recreational facility. Passes will be available to
purchase at the New York Public Library system. This bill provides all
NY public libraries one pass to circulate, as well as the opportunity to
purchase additional passes to circulate.

Section 2 provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In communities across New York State, libraries are becoming far more
than just a place for books to call home; they are trusted community
institutions that serve a wide variety of needs to their patrons and
community members. As libraries look to diversify what they offer and
create collections that serve a variety of needs, expanding the access
to the cultural heritage of New York is a priority. With the creation of
the "Checkout NY" pass, libraries across New York State will be able to
offer their patrons free access to the cultural, historical and environ-
mental highlights of our state or for reduced admission to any state
park, historical site or recreational facility operated by the state.
This pass would allow families of all socio-economic status to access
New York's world-class cultural facilities, while allowing libraries to
add additional passes into circulation at a reasonable cost.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Unknown at this time.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4697
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 11, 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 amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law,  in
   relation to creating the "Checkout NY" pass, a comprehensive pass that
   allows  for  free or discounted use of state parks, historic sites and
   recreational facilities, and provides one such pass  to  each  consol-
   idated,  federated  and  cooperative  public library system within the
   state free of charge for circulation
 
   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 section 13.32 to read as follows:
   § 13.32 CHECKOUT NY PASS. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY  OTHER  PROVISION  OF
 LAW  TO  THE  CONTRARY,  THE  OFFICE AND ALL OTHER STATE AGENCIES HAVING
 JURISDICTION OF A STATE PARK OR RECREATIONAL FACILITY SHALL ESTABLISH  A
 CHECKOUT  NY PASS WHICH SHALL RUN FROM APRIL FIRST OF EACH YEAR TO MARCH
 THIRTY-FIRST OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR,  ENTITLING  THE  HOLDER  THEREOF  TO
 ADMISSION  WITHOUT  ADDITIONAL FEE TO ANY STATE PARK, HISTORICAL SITE OR
 RECREATIONAL FACILITY OPERATED BY THE OFFICE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF  ENVI-
 RONMENTAL  CONSERVATION  OR PROVIDES FOR DISCOUNTS OFFERED IN COMPARISON
 TO OTHER ADMISSION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE OFFICE.  THE ANNUAL  FEE  FOR
 SUCH  PASS SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR EACH PARTICULAR
 YEAR ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 13.15 OF THIS ARTICLE AND SHALL  BE
 APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET.
   2.  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  PROVIDE ONE SUCH PASS TO EACH LIBRARY WHICH IS
 PART OF A CONSOLIDATED, FEDERATED AND COOPERATIVE PUBLIC LIBRARY  SYSTEM
 WITHIN  THE  STATE FREE OF CHARGE FOR CIRCULATION THROUGH A DISTRIBUTION
 PROCESS MANAGED BY THE NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY SYSTEM. THE  OFFICE  SHALL
 PROVIDE  FOR  A CONSOLIDATED, FEDERATED, AND COOPERATIVE LIBRARY SYSTEM,
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09164-01-5
 S. 4697                             2

 
 OR THE NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY SYSTEM TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL  PASSES  FOR
 CIRCULATION.
   3.  THE  OFFICE OR OTHER STATE AGENCY HAVING JURISDICTION OVER A STATE
 PARK, HISTORICAL SITE OR RECREATIONAL  FACILITY  SHALL  PROMULGATE  SUCH
 RULES AND REGULATIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF
 THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S4697

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation Committee

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S4697

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Sponsored By

Cordell Cleare

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation Committee

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S4697 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments