New York A 4344: Relates to free use of state parks and campsites for volunteer firefighters and members of a volunteer ambulance service

Bill Text

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A04344 Summary:

BILL NOA04344 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S02037

&nbsp

SPONSORMorinello

&nbsp

COSPNSRBrabenec, DeStefano, Miller, Hawley, DiPietro, Tague, Durso

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §13.19, Pks & Rec L

&nbsp

Provides free use of state parks and campsites for volunteer firefighters and members of a volunteer ambulance service.

Go to top A04344 Actions:

BILL NOA04344 

&nbsp

02/04/2025referred to tourism, parks, arts and sports development

05/29/2025held for consideration in tourism, parks, arts and sports development

01/07/2026referred to tourism, parks, arts and sports development

Go to topA04344 Committee&nbspVotes:

Committee:TOURISM, ARTS AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT Chair:Kim 
DATE:05/29/2025AYE/NAY:13/6 Action: Held for Consideration KimAyeGrayNay

BarrettAyeTagueNay

WoernerAyeMorinelloNay

CarrollExcusedAngelinoNay

JonesAyeGallahanNay

BurkeAyeSimpsonNay

FallAye

RiveraAye

ZinermanAye

GibbsAbsent

ShresthaAye

ShimskyAye

ZaccaroAye

ValdezAye

LasherAye

Go to topA04344 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA04344 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 4344

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 February 4, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. MORINELLO, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, MILLER, HAWLEY,
 DiPIETRO, TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Tourism,
 Parks, Arts and Sports Development

 AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
 relation to providing free use of state parks for volunteer firefight-
 ers and volunteer ambulance personnel

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and historic preser-
 2 vation law, as amended by chapter 616 of the laws of 2023, subdivision 2
 3 as amended by chapter 103 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
 4 follows:
 5 § 13.19 Free use of parks and campsites. 1. Notwithstanding the
 6 provisions of any other law, any person who is blind, non-ambulatory, or
 7 an amputee or any veteran or member of a Gold Star family, or any person
 8 who is a resident of New York state and serves as an active volunteer
 9 firefighter, as defined in section two hundred fifteen of the general
 10 municipal law, or as an enrolled member of a volunteer ambulance service
 11 pursuant to article thirty of the public health law, shall be permitted
 12 to use any of the public campsites, parks and other public places of
 13 recreation in this state, upon the same terms and conditions as apply to
 14 the general public, but without the payment of any fees or other charges
 15 for the use of such campsites, parks and other public places of recre-
 16 ation.
 17 2. For the purposes of this section (a) "veteran" shall mean a resi-
 18 dent of this state who is: (i) a veteran as such term is defined in
 19 section one of the veterans' services law; or (ii) a person who has
 20 served on active duty for the state as a member of the state organized
 21 militia as defined in subdivision nine of section one of the military
 22 law and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other
 23 than dishonorable; or (iii) a person who has served on active duty in

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01637-01-5

 A. 4344 2

 1 the uniformed services of the United States or on active duty for the
 2 state as a member of the organized militia and has a qualifying condi-
 3 tion, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has
 4 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 5 service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of
 6 the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad
 7 conduct or dishonorable from such service; and
 8 (b) "member of a Gold Star family" shall mean a resident of this state
 9 who is a gold star parent as defined in section twenty-six of the veter-
 10 ans' services law, the spouse or domestic partner, or the biological,
 11 step, or legally adopted minor child of a veteran whose death qualified
 12 the parent for an annuity.
 13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the on