STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6696--B 2015-2016 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 30, 2015 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT -- 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 -- recommitted to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee 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: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD06346-07-6A. 6696--B 2 1 a. providing and coordinating services by volunteers or groups to 2 reduce the amount of litter including providing trash bags and trash bag 3 pick up and in designated areas where volunteers may be in close proxim- 4 ity to moving vehicles providing safety briefings and reflective safety 5 gear; and 6 b. providing and installing signs identifying those volunteers or 7 groups adopting particular parks, shorelines, roadways or other sections 8 of public land. 9 2. With respect to adopt-a-park programs, a program agreement may also 10 be entered into for the provision of services by volunteers or groups to 11 preserve, maintain and enhance municipally-owned parks. Such programs 12 may include, but are not limited to, remediating vandalism, preserving 13 wetlands, cleaning and maintaining park property, establishing and main- 14 taining access to nature trails, establishing and maintaining dog runs, 15 planting and maintaining flower beds or other vegetation, or otherwise 16 improving and maintaining the natural beauty of such parks. 17 3. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, the county, 18 city, town or village and its employees shall not be liable for damages 19 suffered by any persons resulting from the reasonable actions or activ- 20 ities of such volunteers or groups provided such actions or activities 21 were performed in good faith. 22 4. Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule or regulation to the 23 contrary, no adopt-a-park program shall result in the displacement of 24 any currently employed worker or the loss of position, including the 25 partial displacement such as reduction in the hours of non-overtime, 26 wages, or employment benefits, or result in the impairment of existing 27 collective bargaining agreements. 28 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 29 it shall have become a law.