Bill Text: NY S07733 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Encourages the expansion of the production of fresh fruits and vegetables by community gardens; directs the state and municipalities to develop more and safer bike lanes and multiple use trails so as to encourage physical activity and reduce carbon emissions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-20 - COMMITTED TO RULES [S07733 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S07733-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7733 IN SENATE February 14, 2018 ___________ Introduced by Sens. HAMILTON, KLEIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to expand- ing the production of fresh fruits and vegetables by community gardens; to amend the general city law, the town law, the village law, the general municipal law and the highway law, in relation to direct- ing the state and municipalities to develop more and safer bike lanes and multiple use trails so as to encourage more physical activity and to reduce carbon emissions; and to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in relation to directing the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation to develop more and safer multiple use trails in state parks in and throughout the state The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 31-f of the agriculture and markets law, as added 2 by chapter 528 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 31-f. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds and 4 declares that community gardens provide significant health, educational 5 and social benefits to the general public, especially for those who 6 reside in urban and suburban areas of this state. Furthermore, it is the 7 articulated public policy of this state to promote and foster growth in 8 the number of community gardens and the acreage of such gardens. The 9 community garden movement continues to provide low cost food that is 10 fresh and nutritious for those who may be unable to readily afford or 11 have easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables for themselves or their 12 families, promotes public health and healthier individual lifestyles by 13 encouraging better eating habits and increased physical activity by 14 growing their own food, fosters the retention and expansion of open 15 spaces, particularly in urban environments, enhances urban and suburban 16 environmental quality and community beautification, provides inexpensive 17 community building activities, recreation and physical exercise for all 18 age groups, establishes a safe place for community involvement and helps 19 to reduce the incidence of crime, engenders a closer relationship 20 between urban residents, nature and their local environment, and fosters EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD13758-03-8S. 7733 2 1 green job training and ecological education at all levels. It is there- 2 fore the intent of the legislature and the purpose of this article to 3 foster growth in the number, size and scope of community gardens in this 4 state by encouraging state agencies, municipalities and private parties 5 in their efforts to promote community gardens. 6 § 2. Paragraph f of subdivision 2 of section 31-h of the agriculture 7 and markets law, as added by chapter 528 of the laws of 2013, is amended 8 to read as follows: 9 f. Assist, support and encourage communication, and the sharing of 10 resources between community garden organizations [and], the New York 11 Harvest For New York Kids Week program established by the department 12 pursuant to subdivision five-b of section sixteen of this chapter[,] and 13 individual farm-to-school and school garden programs, and, where appli- 14 cable, the department of health, the department of state, the office of 15 children and family services and the division of housing and community 16 renewal. 17 § 3. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 4 of section 31-j of the agriculture 18 and markets law, as amended by chapter 154 of the laws of 2015, is 19 amended to read as follows: 20 (a) The goals of the task force may include, but are not limited to, 21 the study, evaluation and development of recommendations: (i) to encour- 22 age the establishment and expansion of community gardens by state agen- 23 cies, municipal governments and private parties, (ii) to encourage coop- 24 eration between the activities and operations of community gardens and 25 provision of donated food to local voluntary food assistance programs 26 for the poor and disadvantaged, (iii) to increase the benefits that 27 community gardens may provide to the local community in which they are 28 located, [and] (iv) to encourage cooperation with community-based organ- 29 izations to increase the opportunities for seniors, those aged sixty 30 years of age or older, to participate in community gardens, and (v) to 31 encourage the expansion of the production of fresh fruits and vegetables 32 in areas served by community gardens so that such fresh produce can be 33 consumed locally to help encourage healthier life styles and wellness, 34 and to help reduce the incidence of adult and childhood obesity. 35 § 4. 1. Subdivision 4 of section 28-a of the general city law is 36 amended by adding a new paragraph (j-1) to read as follows: 37 (j-1) Specific policies and strategies to develop more and safer bike 38 lanes and multiple use trails so as to encourage more physical activity 39 and reduce carbon emissions. 40 § 5. Subdivision 3 of section 272-a of the town law is amended by 41 adding a new paragraph (j-1) to read as follows: 42 (j-1) Specific policies and strategies to develop more and safer bike 43 lanes and multiple use trails so as to encourage more physical activity 44 and reduce carbon emissions. 45 § 6. Subdivision 3 of section 7-722 of the village law is amended by 46 adding a new paragraph (j-1) to read as follows: 47 (j-1) Specific policies and strategies to develop more and safer bike 48 lanes and multiple use trails so as to encourage more physical activity 49 and reduce carbon emissions. 50 § 7. Subdivision 1 of section 239-d of the general municipal law is 51 amended by adding a new paragraph (j-1) to read as follows: 52 (j-1) Specific policies and strategies to develop more and safer bike 53 lanes and multiple use trails so as to encourage more physical activity 54 and reduce carbon emissions; 55 § 8. Subdivision (b) of section 331 of the highway law, as added by 56 chapter 398 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:S. 7733 3 1 (b) Complete street design features are roadway design features that 2 accommodate and facilitate convenient access and mobility by all users, 3 including current and projected users, particularly pedestrians, bicy- 4 clists and individuals of all ages and abilities engaged in physical 5 activity. These features may include, but need not be limited to: side- 6 walks, paved shoulders suitable for use by bicyclists and pedestrians, 7 lane striping, bicycle lanes, multiple use trails, share the road 8 signage, crosswalks, road diets, pedestrian control signalization, bus 9 pull outs, curb cuts, raised crosswalks and ramps and traffic calming 10 measures; and recognize that the needs of users of the road network vary 11 according to a rural, urban and suburban context. 12 § 9. 1. Subdivision 10 of section 3.09 of the parks, recreation and 13 historic preservation law is amended to read as follows: 14 10. Encourage, promote and provide recreational opportunities for 15 residents of urban as well as suburban and rural areas, which may 16 include, but not be limited to, the development of more and safer multi- 17 ple use trails in state parks and throughout the state so as to encour- 18 age more physical activity. 19 § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.
