Bill Text: NY A05706 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Directs the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation to cooperate with municipalities in establishing adopt-a-park programs; municipalities may enter into agreements with volunteer groups for provision of services.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to tourism, parks, arts and sports development [A05706 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A05706-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          5706
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    February 14, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development
        AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law  and
          the  general municipal law, in relation to authorizing an adopt-a-park
          program
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1. Subdivision 4 of section 3.09 of the parks, recreation and
     2  historic preservation law is amended to read as follows:
     3    4. Cooperate in the planning, organization, development and  operation
     4  of  municipal  and  private park, recreational and historic preservation
     5  projects and programs.  The commissioner may provide  technical  assist-
     6  ance  to  municipalities for the planning, organization, development and
     7  operation of adopt-a-park programs undertaken pursuant  to  section  two
     8  hundred  seventy-seven  of  the general municipal law including, but not
     9  limited to, the development and distribution of an  informational  guide
    10  for participants in such programs.
    11    § 2. Section 277 of the general municipal law, as added by chapter 626
    12  of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
    13    §  277.  Adopt-a-municipal park, shoreline or roadway programs. 1. The
    14  governing body of any county, city, town or village is hereby authorized
    15  and empowered to authorize and direct such of its officers  or  agencies
    16  as  it  shall designate to enter into adopt-a-park, shoreline or roadway
    17  program agreements with volunteers or groups in an effort to reduce  and
    18  remove  litter  from parks, shorelines, roadways and other public lands.
    19  Such agreements shall include but not be limited to:
    20    a. providing and coordinating services  by  volunteers  or  groups  to
    21  reduce the amount of litter including providing trash bags and trash bag
    22  pick up and in designated areas where volunteers may be in close proxim-
    23  ity  to moving vehicles providing safety briefings and reflective safety
    24  gear; and
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08960-01-9

        A. 5706                             2
     1    b. providing and installing  signs  identifying  those  volunteers  or
     2  groups adopting particular parks, shorelines, roadways or other sections
     3  of public land.
     4    2. With respect to adopt-a-park programs, a program agreement may also
     5  be entered into for the provision of services by volunteers or groups to
     6  preserve,  maintain  and  enhance municipally-owned parks. Such programs
     7  may include, but are not limited to, remediating  vandalism,  preserving
     8  wetlands, cleaning and maintaining park property, establishing and main-
     9  taining  access to nature trails, establishing and maintaining dog runs,
    10  planting and maintaining flower beds or other vegetation,  or  otherwise
    11  improving and maintaining the natural beauty of such parks.
    12    3.  Notwithstanding  any  inconsistent  provision  of law, the county,
    13  city, town or village and its employees shall not be liable for  damages
    14  suffered  by any persons resulting from the reasonable actions or activ-
    15  ities of such volunteers or groups provided such actions  or  activities
    16  were performed in good faith.
    17    4.  Notwithstanding  any  provision  of law, rule or regulation to the
    18  contrary, no adopt-a-park program shall result in  the  displacement  of
    19  any  currently  employed  worker  or the loss of position, including the
    20  partial displacement such as reduction in  the  hours  of  non-overtime,
    21  wages,  or  employment benefits, or result in the impairment of existing
    22  collective bargaining agreements.
    23    § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    24  it shall have become a law.
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