NY State Senate Bill 2025-S5269

Senate Bill S5269

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Authorizes the establishment of permanent Covid-19 memorials and establishes a Covid-19 permanent memorial fund

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance 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 20, 2025	referred to finance

co-Sponsors

2025-S5269 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A670
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: State Finance Law
Laws Affected:: Add §99-ss, St Fin L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S8483, A9815

2025-S5269 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Authorizes the establishment of permanent COVID-19 memorials; establishes a COVID-19 permanent memorial fund.

2025-S5269 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5269

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to authorizing the
establishment of permanent COVID-19 memorials and establishing a COVID-
19 permanent memorial fund

 
PURPOSE:

To authorize localities within New York State to designate and establish
a permanent Covid-19 memorial.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 authorizes New York State and any municipality therein to
designate and establish a permanent Covid-19 memorial within its juris-
diction, in collaboration with municipal parks departments and under the
guidance of the office of parks, recreation, and historic preservation.

Section 2 establishes the COVID-19 permanent memorial fund.

 
EXISTING LAW:

None.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 1.1 million
Americans, including more than 80,000 New Yorkers, leaving some 18,000
children across the state without a parent or legal caregiver.  These
are not just numbers and statistics, but family members, relatives,
friends, and loved ones. During the height of the pandemic, many were
unable to be at their loved one's side and provide them with the comfort
and support they deserved in their final moments. New Yorkers were
unable to conduct traditional homegoing or burial services due to health
restrictions, adding to their grief. Despite being the first U.S.
epicenter of the pandemic, New York State still does not have a perma-
nent Covid-19 memorial.

Covid-19 memorials have been built across the nation, and legislation
has been introduced to honor those lost to Covid-19 and recognize the
sacrifices of healthcare professionals, first responders, and essential
workers who served selflessly during the pandemic. These include the
nation's first Covid-19 permanent memorial at Allaire Community Farm in
Walltownship, New Jersey, the "United We Stand, Divided We Fall,"
Covid-19 Memorial in Capitol Monument Park, Kentucky, and the Yellow
Heart memorial in Jefferson County, Missouri. In New York City, the DSNY
Forever Strongest memorial and TWU Local 100 Union Hall memorial honor
essential workers lost to Covid-19. Considering the impact of the
pandemic on New York State, it would be fitting to have dedicated memo-
rials in municipalities all over the state.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: S8483 - Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2025-S5269 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5269
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. BAILEY, FERNANDEZ, RAMOS -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation  to  authorizing  the
   establishment  of  permanent  COVID-19  memorials  and  establishing a
   COVID-19 permanent memorial fund

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  state  of  New York and any municipality therein are
 authorized to, in collaboration with  municipal  parks  departments  and
 under  the  guidance  of  the  office of parks, recreation, and historic
 preservation, designate and  establish  a  permanent  COVID-19  memorial
 within  its  jurisdiction. Municipalities seeking to establish and main-
 tain such a memorial may apply for funding under section  99-ss  of  the
 state  finance  law  as  well  as from other public and private sources,
 including but not limited to grants, donations,  and  partnerships.  The
 final  designs and locations of such memorials shall be selected through
 a community-driven process overseen by municipal parks departments, with
 specific guidance from the office of  parks,  recreation,  and  historic
 preservation,  and  with  financial  oversight  from  the  comptroller's
 office.  The final designs and locations of such memorials shall  prior-
 itize input from those most impacted, including but not limited to fami-
 ly members and loved ones of victims of COVID-19.
   § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ss to
 read as follows:
   §  99-SS.  COVID-19 PERMANENT MEMORIAL FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
 LISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER AND THE COMMISSION-
 ER OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION A FUND TO BE KNOWN  AS
 THE "COVID-19 PERMANENT MEMORIAL FUND".
   2. THE FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, GRANTS,
 GIFTS  OR  BEQUESTS  RECEIVED BY THE STATE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FUND,
 AND ALL OTHER MONEYS CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER FUND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01702-01-5

 S. 5269                             2
 
 OR SOURCE. MONEYS OF SUCH FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED ONLY FOR THE ESTABLISH-
 MENT AND MAINTENANCE OF PERMANENT COVID-19 MEMORIALS.  NOTHING  IN  THIS
 SECTION  SHALL  PREVENT  THE STATE FROM SOLICITING AND RECEIVING GRANTS,
 GIFTS OR BEQUESTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUCH FUND AND DEPOSITING THEM INTO
 THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3.  MONEYS  IN  SUCH FUND SHALL BE KEPT SEPARATE FROM AND SHALL NOT BE
 COMMINGLED WITH ANY OTHER MONEYS IN THE CUSTODY OF  THE  COMPTROLLER  OR
 THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  PARKS,  RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION. ANY
 MONEYS OF THE FUND NOT REQUIRED FOR IMMEDIATE USE MAY, AT THE DISCRETION
 OF THE COMPTROLLER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET,  BE
 INVESTED  BY  THE COMPTROLLER IN OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE
 STATE, OR IN OBLIGATIONS THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON WHICH ARE GUARAN-
 TEED BY THE UNITED STATES OR BY THE STATE.  ANY  INCOME  EARNED  BY  THE
 INVESTMENT  OF  SUCH  MONEYS SHALL BE ADDED TO AND BECOME A PART OF, AND
 SHALL BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUCH FUND.
   4. MONEYS FROM SUCH FUND SHALL BE DISBURSED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT  AND
 MAINTENANCE  OF  PERMANENT  COVID-19 MEMORIALS BY WAY OF A GRANT PROGRAM
 ESTABLISHED BY THE COMPTROLLER IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OFFICE OF  PARKS,
 RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S5269

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Sponsored By

Jamaal T. Bailey