Bill Text: NY A06244 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Authorizes the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation to issue rules, regulations and programs necessary to allow the presence and behavior of dogs conducive to the characteristics of each state park; requires the installation of dog waste stations; requires dogs to be under the direct supervision and control at all times by the owner or custodian of such dogs; makes related provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-06 - RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY [A06244 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A06244-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         6244--A

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                      April 3, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. STERN -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on  Tourism,  Parks,  Arts  and  Sports   Development   --   committee
          discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
          to said committee

        AN  ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
          relation to allowing the presence of dogs in state parks

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

     1    Section  1.  The  parks,  recreation  and historic preservation law is
     2  amended by adding a new section 3.27 to read as follows:
     3    § 3.27 Dogs allowed in parks. 1.  The  commissioner  shall  adopt  any
     4  rules,  regulations and programs necessary for the presence and behavior
     5  of dogs in state parks, provided that such rules  and  programs  do  not
     6  conflict with the provisions of this section.
     7    2.  (a)  Dogs  shall  be  allowed in all New York state parks with the
     8  exception of the Adirondack  park,  the  Catskill  park  and  arboretums
     9  during public hours of operation year-round except as provided in subdi-
    10  vision three of this section.
    11    (b)  The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations restrict-
    12  ing the presence of dogs in areas designated for swimming or  sunbathing
    13  on beaches and resident wildlife in preserves.
    14    (c)  All  state  parks  shall  install  and  offer dog waste stations,
    15  including, but not limited to, garbage cans and disposable biodegradable
    16  waste bags to ensure a clean and hygienic environment for all park visi-
    17  tors.
    18    (d) All dogs shall be under direct  supervision  and  control  at  all
    19  times by the owner or custodian of the dog.
    20    (e)  Dogs shall be leashed at all times unless a state park designates
    21  a specific unleashed area.
    22    (f) Waste shall be removed and disposed of by the dog owner.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05507-06-3
        A. 6244--A                          2

     1    (g) Dog owners or custodians assume liability for any damage  or  harm
     2  caused by their dog on park premises.
     3    (h)  Dogs  are  not  permitted within at least one hundred feet of any
     4  areas restricted for protection of endangered species and/or nesting.
     5    3. (a) Dogs shall not be allowed in areas  of  state  parks  that  are
     6  designated by parks as "restricted".
     7    (b)  Dogs  shall not be allowed in state parks during events or activ-
     8  ities that are specifically designated as "dog-free".
     9    (c) Dogs shall not be allowed in state parks  if  they  are  deemed  a
    10  "dangerous dog" pursuant to section one hundred eight of the agriculture
    11  and markets law.
    12    (d)  Dogs  that  have  not  been fully vaccinated pursuant to any law,
    13  rules or regulations requiring such vaccines shall  not  be  allowed  in
    14  state parks.
    15    4.  (a)  The office shall have the authority to enforce the provisions
    16  of this section, including, but not limited to, the power to issue cita-
    17  tions and fines for violations.
    18    (b) The office shall also have the authority to exclude  such  owner's
    19  dog or dogs from state parks for a period of time if the owner or custo-
    20  dian  of  the dog fails to comply with the provisions of this section or
    21  the rules, regulations and programs adopted by the state park system.
    22    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    23  it shall have become a law.