Bill Text: NY S07008 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to the use of pollinator friendly plant species in medians along the highways of the state.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION [S07008 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S07008-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          7008

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 8, 2020
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation

        AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to the  use  of  pollinator
          friendly plant species in medians along the highways of the state

          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 finds that the planting
     2  of pollinator friendly plant species in medians along  the  highways  of
     3  this  state  is  consistent with the state goal of beautifying the land-
     4  scape along such highways. Therefore, it is the intent of  the  legisla-
     5  ture  to  encourage  the use of pollinator friendly plant species by the
     6  state and its political subdivisions in designing, developing and  main-
     7  taining such medians whenever safe and feasible.
     8    §  2.  The highway law is amended by adding a new section 19-a to read
     9  as follows:
    10    § 19-a. Pollinator friendly plant species; medians. 1. For purposes of
    11  this section the following terms shall have the following meanings:
    12    a. "pollinator friendly plant species" shall mean plants native to the
    13  state, composed of a variety of nectar and pollen-rich  flowers  with  a
    14  wide  range  and  variety  of  shapes, sizes, and colors that blossom at
    15  various times throughout the year. The term "pollinator  friendly  plant
    16  species" shall not include modern plant hybrids; and
    17    b.  "political subdivision" shall mean a county, town, city or village
    18  of the state.
    19    2. The commissioner shall, in cooperation with the department of envi-
    20  ronmental conservation, develop policies and  procedures  to  encourage,
    21  train  and assist the state and political subdivisions to use pollinator
    22  friendly plant species in medians along highways.
    23    3. The commissioner shall develop policies and procedures  for  mowing
    24  highways  that  will, wherever feasible and consistent with standards of
    25  safety for motor vehicle operators, cyclists,  and  pedestrians,  reduce
    26  the amount of area within a highway median that is mowed.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14375-01-9
        S. 7008                             2

     1    4.  The  commissioner  shall  develop  policies and procedures for the
     2  adopt-a-highway program to allow volunteer groups, businesses, organiza-
     3  tions, and individuals to voluntarily adopt medians  and  redevelop  and
     4  rehabilitate  them  into  medians populated by pollinator friendly plant
     5  species.
     6    5. A political subdivision may, with the approval of the commissioner,
     7  designate  portions of medians within its boundary for voluntary beauti-
     8  fication by volunteer groups, businesses,  organizations,  and  individ-
     9  uals.  Such  voluntary beautification shall be consistent with the poli-
    10  cies and procedures  developed  by  the  commissioner  and  the  use  of
    11  pollinator friendly plant species set forth in this section.
    12    § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    13  it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
    14  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
    15  tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
    16  completed on or before such date.