Bill Text: NY A09043 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes the native plant seed supply, development and enhancement program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-04-15 - reported referred to ways and means [A09043 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A09043-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          9043

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 5, 2024
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. KELLES -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Agriculture

        AN  ACT  to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
          lishing a  native  plant  seed  supply,  development  and  enhancement
          program

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a  new
     2  section 142-b to read as follows:
     3    §  142-b.  The  New  York  native  plant  seed supply, development and
     4  enhancement program. 1. The commissioners of the department, the depart-
     5  ment of environmental  conservation,  and  the  department  of  economic
     6  development  shall establish a New York native plant seed supply, devel-
     7  opment and enhancement program.
     8    2. The purpose of such program shall be to:
     9    (a) increase the production of native plant seeds at  plant  nurseries
    10  in the state;
    11    (b)  increase the use of native plant seeds in public land management,
    12  roadside  landscaping,  reforestation,  pollinator  promotion,   habitat
    13  restoration,  regular groundskeeping and maintenance on state lands, and
    14  other projects as determined by the commissioners of the department, the
    15  department of environmental conservation, and economic development; and
    16    (c) ensure that native plant seeds are commercially available  in  the
    17  state at a reasonable cost and in adequate supply.
    18    3.  No  later  than one year after the effective date of this section,
    19  the commissioners shall promulgate rules and regulations for the  estab-
    20  lishment of the program, including an initial list of plants whose seeds
    21  are eligible for consideration to participate in such program.
    22    4.  Funds for the program shall be subject to appropriation and may be
    23  used to establish growing operations managed by the state or to  support
    24  private entities that can increase the state's native plant seed supply.
    25    5.  As  used  in this section, "native plant seed" means a germinating
    26  seed, or other plant part, used to propagate a  plant,  that  originates
    27  from a plant species that is indigenous to New York state.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13584-02-3
        A. 9043                             2

     1    6.  Whenever  possible  and  practicable,  the state shall make use of
     2  native plant seeds when engaging in  public  land  management,  roadside
     3  landscaping,  reforestation,  pollinator promotion, habitat restoration,
     4  regular  groundskeeping  and  maintenance  on  state  lands,  and  other
     5  projects  as  determined  by  the  commissioners  of the department, the
     6  department of environmental conservation, and the department of economic
     7  development.
     8    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.