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History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to definition of tropical hardwoods for purposes of state purchasing restrictions
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Carl L. Marcellino
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A478
Title of bill
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to the definition and purchase of tropical hardwoods
Purpose
To require that tropical hardwoods or tropical hardwood products that the state purchases are from sustainably managed forests.
Summary of provisions
Amends section 165 of the State Finance Law to prohibit the state (and any governmental agency or political subdivision or public benefit corporation of the state) from purchasing tropical hardwoods except if they are certified as sustainably forested by a forest certifier.
Current law prohibits the state from purchasing tropical hardwoods or tropical hardwood products. However, the state may purchase this type of wood if it is purchased from a sustained managed forest. There is no definition of sustained managed forest in law. This bill defines sustained managed forest and sets forth guidelines that forest certifi- ers must abide by. In addition the wood must be certified by a chain of custody certifier in order to verify where the wood originated. The Governor shall develop a list of eligible forest certifiers and chain of custody certifiers.
This legislation would also allow any local government to further restrict the use of tropical hardwoods or any wood product.
Justification
The state should encourage the use of alternative build- ing materials such as reclaimed wood, particle board from agricultural residue and recycled plastic. Forests play a vital role in regulating the global climate, purifying the air and protecting watersheds. Throughout the world, communities depend upon healthy forests for their economic value. The purchasing restrictions currently placed on the state are minimal. New York currently uses timber cut from tropical and temperate rainforests in a range of products including park benches and boardwalks. New York is therefore contributing to the global deforesta- tion of the world's ecosystem. Requiring that the state purchase wood which derives from a sustainable managed forest provides a much more responsible approach by ensuring forests will not be destroyed in the process.
Legislative history
2008: A.7520 (Kavanagh) - Governmental Operations 2007: A.7520 (Kavanagh) - Governmental Operations 2006: A.6975 (Grannis) - Govern- mental Operations 2005: A.6975 (Grannis) - Governmental Operations 2004: A.2262 (Grannis) - Third Reading 2003: A.2262 (Grannis) - Governmental Operations 2002: A.6990 (Grannis) - Governmental Operations 2001: A.6990 (Grannis) - Rules
Fiscal impact on the state
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.