Directs the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation to establish the state parks passport program, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1071
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  SERRANO,  HELMING, ROLISON, WALCZYK, WEBB -- read
   twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
   Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation
 
 AN  ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
   relation to establishing the state parks passport program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  parks,  recreation  and historic preservation law is
 amended by adding a new section 3.27 to read as follows:
   § 3.27 STATE PARKS PASSPORT  PROGRAM.  1.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER
 PROVISION  OF  LAW, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A STATE PARKS PASS-
 PORT PROGRAM.
   2. THE STATE PARKS PASSPORT PROGRAM SHALL USE A PRINTED PASSPORT  BOOK
 OR  ELECTRONIC APPLICATION TO ALLOW VISITORS TO STATE PARKS AND HISTORIC
 SITES TO LOG THEIR VISITS TO SUCH SITES WITH INK  STAMPS  OR  ELECTRONIC
 STAMPS,  AND  INK  STAMPS  OR ELECTRONIC STAMPS THAT IDENTIFY EACH STATE
 PARK OR HISTORIC SITE BY NAME. THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT
 OF THE STATE PARKS PASSPORT PROGRAM SHALL BE  DERIVED  FROM  THE  PATRON
 SERVICES  ACCOUNT OF THE MISCELLANEOUS SPECIAL REVENUE FUND. THE COMMIS-
 SIONER MAY CHARGE PURCHASERS OF THE PRINTED PASSPORT BOOK OR  ELECTRONIC
 APPLICATION  FOR  THE  COSTS ASSOCIATED FOR PRINTING OR DEVELOPING THOSE
 MATERIALS.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER MAY DESIGNATE A SUBSET OF SUCH SITES EACH YEAR  TO
 HIGHLIGHT  VARIOUS  REGIONS  OF THE STATE OR VARIOUS STATE PARK REGIONS.
 THE COMMISSIONER MAY PROVIDE FOR THE CONDUCTING OF SPECIAL  EVENTS  THAT
 EMPHASIZE  OUTDOOR  RECREATION  OR  FITNESS  FOR CERTAIN SUBSETS OF PARK
 ATTENDEES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CHILDREN AND SENIOR CITIZENS.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER MAY PROMULGATE SUCH REGULATIONS AS MAY  BE  NECES-
 SARY FOR THE OPERATION OF THE STATE PARKS PASSPORT PROGRAM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00470-01-5