Bill Text: NY A06700 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Provides that veterans who are NY residents may use state parks, recreation facilities and historic sites without fees.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to ways and means [A06700 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A06700-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6700

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                       May 2, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, JEAN-PIERRE, EACHUS, SANTABARBARA,
          STERN,  BUTTENSCHON,  BURDICK,  JONES -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Veterans' Affairs

        AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to free  use  of
          state parks, recreation facilities and historic sites by veterans

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

     1    Section 1. The veterans' services law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  section 29-c to read as follows:
     3    §  29-c.  Free  use of state parks, recreation facilities and historic
     4  sites by veterans. 1. Veterans, who are residents of this  state,  shall
     5  be  entitled  to  the  use of any park, recreation facility and historic
     6  site under the jurisdiction of  the  office  of  parks,  recreation  and
     7  historic  preservation  or  the department of environmental conservation
     8  upon the same terms as the public, but without the payment of any fee or
     9  other charges for use, including but not limited to parking fees,  camp-
    10  ing fees and entrance fees.
    11    2.  The  office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and the
    12  department of environmental conservation shall, in consultation with the
    13  department,  develop  a  program  to  promote  and  provide  information
    14  pertaining to the benefits provided under this section, which at a mini-
    15  mum  shall  include providing information on the websites of the depart-
    16  ment, the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and  the
    17  department  of  environmental  conservation  as to how veterans, who are
    18  residents of this state, may access and use the parks, recreation facil-
    19  ities and historic sites described in subdivision one  of  this  section
    20  free of charge.
    21    3.  The  office of parks, recreation and historic preservation and the
    22  department of environmental conservation shall, in consultation with the
    23  department, promulgate rules and regulations to administer the  benefits
    24  provided for under this section.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD11136-02-3
        A. 6700                             2

     1    4. For purposes of this section the term "veteran" shall have the same
     2  meaning as such term is defined in section one of this article and shall
     3  also  include  any  veteran who has a qualifying condition as defined in
     4  section one of this article and has received a discharge other than  bad
     5  conduct  or  dishonorable  or is a discharged LGBT veteran as defined in
     6  section one of this article, and has received a discharge other than bad
     7  conduct or dishonorable.
     8    § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next  succeeding
     9  the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
    10  addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
    11  for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
    12  to be made and completed on or before such effective date.