Bill Text: NY S06694 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Provides for the establishment of a senior tourism program to study and make recommendations on the improvement of travel amenities available to seniors; including senior-friendly tourism attractions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-06-20 - SUBSTITUTED BY A8161A [S06694 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S06694-Introduced.html

---

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          6694
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                      June 13, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  FUNKE  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
        AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to  developing
          a senior tourism program
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. Legislative intent. The  legislature  recognizes  that  the
     2  renewed  focus on the tourism industry in New York state led to all-time
     3  high levels of tourism. The legislature also  recognizes  that  a  large
     4  portion  of  the  state's  population is aging. It is the intent of this
     5  legislature to create a state tourism program  focused  specifically  on
     6  seniors in an effort to encourage them to choose New York state as their
     7  vacation  destination. This program will not only bolster the reputation
     8  of New York as a tourist destination  for  all,  but  provide  increased
     9  employment  opportunities in the tourism sector and encourage seniors to
    10  age actively.
    11    § 2. The economic development law is amended by adding a  new  article
    12  5-F to read as follows:
    13                                 ARTICLE 5-F
    14                           SENIOR TOURISM PROGRAM
    15  Section 181-f. Definitions.
    16          181-g. Senior tourism program.
    17    §  181-f.  Definitions. For the purposes of this article the following
    18  terms shall have the following meanings:
    19    1. "Senior" shall mean persons aged sixty-five and older;
    20    2. "Senior friendly attraction" shall mean a tourism  attraction  that
    21  optimizes opportunities for seniors in order to enhance their quality of
    22  life.
    23    §  181-g.  Senior tourism program. 1. The commissioner, in conjunction
    24  with the commissioner of parks, recreation  and  historic  preservation,
    25  and  the  director  of the office for the aging and in consultation with
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD11899-05-7
        S. 6694                             2
     1  applicable local government officials  shall  develop  and  implement  a
     2  senior  tourism  program.    Such program shall identify senior-friendly
     3  tourism attractions in each of the state's tourism regions. In identify-
     4  ing  specific tourism attractions to be included in the program, consid-
     5  eration shall be given to attractions that can be linked to  surrounding
     6  artistic,  cultural,  historical, and entertainment attractions or other
     7  tourism destinations.
     8    2. The senior tourism program shall identify for  visitors  of  senior
     9  friendly  attractions  the surrounding attractions, restaurants, lodging
    10  and other exhibits or places of entertainment.
    11    3. The commissioner shall conduct a public outreach campaign to inform
    12  the public of  the  senior  tourism  program  and  the  senior  friendly
    13  attractions  in  such program. Such information shall be publicly avail-
    14  able and posted on the websites of the department, the office of  parks,
    15  recreation and historic preservation, and the office for the aging.
    16    §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
    17  have become a law.