Bill Text: NY S04656 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Establishes the plastic bag challenge grant program to incentivize universities to develop alternative uses or substitutes for plastic bags; provides ten one hundred thousand dollar grants and one one million dollar grant; appropriates funds therefor.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-03 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S04656 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S04656-Introduced.html

---

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4656
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                    February 23, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
        AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
          establishing  the  plastic  bag challenge grant program; and making an
          appropriation therefor
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1.  The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
     2  new section 27-2715 to read as follows:
     3  § 27-2715. Plastic bag challenge grant program.
     4    1. Establishment of program.  The  commissioner  shall  establish  the
     5  plastic  bag challenge grant program and invite all colleges and univer-
     6  sities in this state to develop a program proposal that will address the
     7  environmental dangers of plastic bag use in the state by  (a)  providing
     8  alternative  after-market  uses  for  plastic bags and/or (b) creating a
     9  biodegradable material for use in the  manufacture  of  substitutes  for
    10  plastic  bags such that bags made of the material will not pose a threat
    11  to the environment.
    12    2. Eligibility. All colleges and  universities,  public  and  private,
    13  located  in  the state are eligible to apply for and receive the plastic
    14  bag challenge grant.
    15    3. Proposals. Proposals must be submitted to  the  commissioner  in  a
    16  procedure  to  be developed by the commissioner in consultation with the
    17  commissioner of education.
    18    4. Initial grants. (a) Upon receipt of the participant  proposals  the
    19  commissioner  shall  select  the ten schools that have presented the top
    20  ten most feasible proposals.  The ten finalists shall then each  receive
    21  a one hundred thousand dollar grant to advance research, development and
    22  implementation of their proposal.
    23    (b)  The ten schools shall have nine months to complete their research
    24  and submit their results for final review by the commissioner.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10216-01-7
        S. 4656                             2
     1    5. Winning grant. The commissioner shall evaluate the results  submit-
     2  ted  for final review by the ten finalists and shall select the institu-
     3  tion which has created the most viable program. The winning  college  or
     4  university  shall be awarded a ten million dollar grant for successfully
     5  completing the program.
     6    6.  Advertisement.  The commissioner, in consultation with the commis-
     7  sioner of education, shall develop and distribute educational and promo-
     8  tional materials providing the details  of  the  plastic  bag  challenge
     9  grant program to all eligible institutions.
    10    §  2.  The sum of eleven million dollars, or so much thereof as may be
    11  available, is hereby appropriated to  the  department  of  environmental
    12  conservation  from  any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund
    13  to the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated,
    14  and made immediately available, for the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the
    15  provisions  of  this  act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and
    16  warrant of the comptroller on vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the
    17  commissioner  of  environmental conservation in the manner prescribed by
    18  law.
    19    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.