Bill Text: NY A00166 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Directs the legislature to create office of public advocate with authority to bring civil action against the state or any of its agencies, bureaus or public authorities to protect the public's interest in state's natural and cultural resources.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-14 - opinion referred to judiciary [A00166 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A00166-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                           166
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                     January 9, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON,
          FINCH -- read once and referred  to  the  Committee  on  Environmental
          Conservation
                    CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
        proposing  an  amendment to section 4 of article 14 of the constitution,
          in relation to environmental protection
     1    Section 1. RESOLVED (if the Senate concur), That section 4 of  article
     2  14 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
     3    §  4.  The  policy  of  the state shall be to conserve and protect its
     4  natural and cultural resources  and  scenic  beauty  and  encourage  the
     5  development and improvement of its agricultural lands for the production
     6  of  food and other agricultural products. The legislature, in implement-
     7  ing this policy, shall include adequate provision for the  abatement  of
     8  air  and  water  pollution  and  of excessive and unnecessary noise, the
     9  protection of agricultural  lands,  wetlands  and  shorelines,  and  the
    10  development  and  regulation  of  water resources and shall establish an
    11  office of public advocate with the authority to  commence  civil  action
    12  against  the state or any of its departments, agencies or bureaus or its
    13  public authorities to protect  the  public's  interest  in  the  state's
    14  natural  and  cultural resources.  The legislature shall further provide
    15  for the acquisition of lands and waters, including improvements  thereon
    16  and  any interest therein, outside the forest preserve counties, and the
    17  dedication of properties so acquired or  now  owned,  which  because  of
    18  their natural beauty, wilderness character, or geological, ecological or
    19  historical significance, shall be preserved and administered for the use
    20  and  enjoyment  of  the people. Properties so dedicated shall constitute
    21  the state nature and historical preserve and they shall not be taken  or
    22  otherwise  disposed  of  except by law enacted by two successive regular
    23  sessions of the legislature.
    24    § 2. RESOLVED (if the Senate concur), That the foregoing  be  referred
    25  to  the  first  regular  legislative  session  convening  after the next
    26  succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in conform-
    27  ity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3
    28  months previous to the time of such election.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD89002-01-9
feedback