Relates to community and economic vitality, environment and energy, nutrition and healthy families and youth development under a form of organization and administration approved by Cornell university

6 Co-sponsors

• Thomas Croci
• Patrick M. Gallivan
• Joseph A. Griffo
• Kathleen A. Marchione
• Jack M. Martins
• David J. Valesky

BILL NUMBER:S4240A

Purpose

To amend the county law pursuant to statutory authority governing Cornell Cooperative Extension and to best reflect some of the technical practices or programs in youth development, occurring within the Extension System.

Summary of provisions

Section one amends paragraph (b) of subdivision 8 of § 224 of the County Law to replace the terms, "home economics and community betterment," with "community and economic vitality, environment and energy, nutrition and health families, and youth development."

Section two amends paragraph (d) of subdivision 8 of § 224 of the County Law to provide that additional state allocations shall be distributed to the county associations in a percentage proportionate to their most recent county appropriation. Such appropriation may not include any amount attributed to in-kind contributions, service agreements, or contracts.

Section three amends paragraph (e) of subdivision 8 of § 224 of the County Law by adding a new subparagraph 7 providing that in support of its operations, research, and educational programming needs, an association may contract with one or more entities, to provide services, compensated or uncompensated, consistent with this section. Such contracts are subject to review by Cornell University.

Section four provides the effective date.

Justification

In 1862, the federal government through the Morrill Act established a system whereby each state could designate a "land grant" institute of higher education with the sole purpose of transmitting research based knowledge and extension to the communities in the subject areas of practical agriculture, science, military science and engineering. Cornell University is New York State's land grant institution, and its educational mission of "boots on the ground" in local communities is delivered through the unique county structure of Cornell Cooperative Extension. The Cornell Cooperative Extension system has compiled an impressive record with 1.4 million New Yorkers served annually through their programming in agriculture, youth development, nutrition, renewable energy and many other areas.

The statutory authority governing Cornell Cooperative Extension, however, is dated and does not best reflect some of the technical practices or programs in youth development, occurring within the Extension System. For instance, fully clarifying that local Cooperative Extensions can compete for mission appropriate federal grant funding would augment Extension's work in local communities. County governments are the primary funders of the County Extension network. In the event that state funding through § 224 of the County Law for the extension system is supplemented, the current statute has no mechanism to distribute any additional resources without requiring

cash strapped local governments to increase local appropriations. This means additional state dollars in the system could not actually be utilized in the local communities. Updating the law to reflect the mission of Cornell Cooperative Extension in community betterment and youth development, as well as making some technical changes would greatly assist the Extension System to keep meeting the needs of New Yorkers now and in the future.