What's happening
This bill establishes a task force to study and recommend ways to mitigate and prevent flooding in New York State.
Why it matters
Brings together diverse expertise. The task force will include leaders from environmental, transportation, emergency management, and homeland security agencies, as well as representatives from both majority and minority parties, ensuring a range of perspectives and experiences are involved in finding solutions.
Focuses on science-based solutions. The group is explicitly tasked with applying the best available science and research to understand and address flooding, potentially leading to more effective, evidence-driven policies and investments.
Targets resources where they’re needed most. By identifying regions and populations most affected by flooding, and developing criteria for prioritization, the task force aims to ensure that funding and mitigation efforts are directed to the communities at greatest risk.
Lays groundwork for future action. The required report will not only assess the scale of flooding statewide, but also recommend new technologies, strategies, and funding sources—setting the stage for more comprehensive state action and possibly influencing future legislation or budget allocations.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Flood Task Force
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Substituted by A7456A
- Ordered to third reading cal.1758
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to environmental conservation
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.
Create Flood Prevention Council
Vetoed · Sponsor Steven Otis
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2682
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 28, 2019
Introduced by Sens. MAYER, BROOKS, LIU, MAY, METZGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT relating to establishing the flood mitigation and prevention task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 1. There is hereby established in the department of environmental conservation a flood mitigation and prevention task force ("task force") to consist of eleven members who shall be appointed as follows:
(a) the commissioner of environmental conservation or his or her designee;
(b) the commissioner of general services or his or her designee;
(c) the commissioner of the department of transportation or his or her designee;
(d) the director of the state emergency management office or his or her designee;
(e) the commissioner of the New York state division of homeland security and emergency services or his or her designee;
(f) two members to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
(g) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(h) one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
(i) two members to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate.
2. The at-large members should include individuals who represent flood-prone municipalities and counties.
3. Task force members shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for actual, necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06021-01-9
S. 2682 2
4. The chairperson of the task force shall be the commissioner of environmental conservation or his or her designee. The task force shall meet no less than four times at the call of the chairperson.
5. Any vacancies on the task force shall be filled in the manner provided for in the initial appointment.
6. The task force shall be authorized to hold public hearings and meetings to enable it to accomplish its duties.
7. The task force may consult with any organization, educational institution, other government entity or agency or person including, but not limited to, the army corps of engineers, in the development of the report required by subdivision 10 of this section.
8. The department of environmental conservation shall provide the task force with such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof may, at the request of the chairperson, provide the task force with such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the task force to carry out its powers and duties.
9. The purpose of the flood mitigation/prevention task force shall be to evaluate ways of protecting New York's communities and residents from flooding, including inland flooding, and applying the best available science and research to examine flooding-related issues and impacts.
10. No later than December 31, 2020, the task force shall transmit to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly a report containing:
(a) an assessment of the extent and magnitude of the problem statewide caused by flooding, including identifying those regions and populations most affected by flooding;
(b) criteria and guidelines for identifying and prioritizing regions and projects most in need of mitigation;
(c) identification of existing and emerging technologies, strategies and concepts which can mitigate the impact of flooding on populations and infrastructure;
(d) identification of potential funding sources to support residential, commercial and public mitigation efforts;
(e) research projects or studies to better understand how flooding affects the geography and the population of this state; and
(f) recommendations to the governor and the state legislature on how the state can best use its resources to assist flood-prone counties and municipalities to prevent or mitigate the effects of flooding.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2021.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act relating to establishing the flood mitigation and prevention task force; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose or general idea of bill
To establish a flood mitigation and flood prevention task force based within the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, including representatives of various agencies and local government offi- cials, to identify regions most affected by flooding, prioritize miti- gation efforts, identify sources of funding, and support additional research on mitigation efforts.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1, subdivision (1), establishes the flood mitigation task force with eleven members consisting of the commissioner of the department environmental conservation or his/her designee, the commissioner of general services or his/her designee, the commissioner of the department of transportation or his/ her designee, the director of the state emer- gency management office or his/her designee, the commissioner of the New York state division of homeland security or his/her designee, two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate, one member appointed by the minor- ity leader of the assembly and two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate.
Section 1, subdivision (2), sets forth that the task force should include members representing flood-prone municipalities and counties.
Section 1, subdivision (3), states that members will not receive any compensation but will be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses sustained in the course of their duties.
Section 1, subdivision (4), requires the task force meet no less than four times at the call of the chairperson.
Section 1, subdivision (5), provides that any vacancies should be filled by ways of the initial appointment.
Section 1, subdivision (6), authorizes the task force to hold public hearings and meetings.
Section 1, subdivision (7), allows the task force to consult with organ- izations like the army corps of engineers to help develop the report required by subdivision 10 of this section.
Section 1, subdivision (8), requires the department of environmental conservation to provide the necessary facilities, data and assistance to allow the task force to carry out its responsibilities.
Section 1, subdivision (9), establishes the purpose of the flood mitigation/task force to evaluate ways of protecting New York's communi- ties and residents from flooding including inland flooding.
Section 1, subdivision (10), states that no later than December 31, 2021 the task force shall submit a report to the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the governor. The report must contain an evaluation of the severity of the flooding, criteria and guidelines for identifying regions and projects most in need of miti- gation, identification of possible funding sources, research studies to better understand how flooding effects the geography and population of the state and recommendations to the governor and state legislature on how the state should use resources to prevent or mitigate flooding.
Section 2 sets an immediate effective date.
Justification
The increasing frequency and severity of flooding throughout the state has underscored the need for greater coordination of efforts among levels of government, agencies, and regions with responsibilities to address flooding. This bill begins to address this deficiency.
Prior legislative history
2018: S8491 2017: A2154 (Mayer) referred to environmental conservation 2016: A1345 (Mayer) referred to environmental conservation 2015: A1345 (Mayer) vetoed 2014: A6537B (Mayer) passed Assembly 2013: A6537A (Mayer) passed Assembly
Fiscal implications
To Be Determined
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2021.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.