What's happening
This bill extends the expiration date of the aquatic invasive species prevention law from 2019 to 2020.
Why it matters
Keeps current protections in place. By extending the expiration date, the bill ensures that regulations designed to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species—such as requirements for boat inspections and cleaning—remain enforceable for another year.
Prevents regulatory gaps. Without this extension, important penalties and enforcement mechanisms for violations related to invasive species could lapse, potentially leading to increased risks for New York's lakes, rivers, and aquatic ecosystems.
Signals ongoing legislative attention. The extension suggests that lawmakers may still be evaluating the effectiveness or future of these rules, possibly paving the way for more permanent or updated invasive species management policies in the future.
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Who cares
Department of Environmental Conservation
The bill would extend provisions governing aquatic invasive species management, spread prevention and penalties from June 1, 2019, to June 1, 2020.
Aquatic invasive species prevention advocates
The bill would keep the existing spread-prevention provisions in effect for another year rather than let them expire.
People subject to aquatic invasive species penalties
The bill would extend the existing penalty provisions through June 1, 2020.
Headline styles
Extend Invasive Species Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.81
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.570
- Substituted for A7692
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 56–5
- Ordered to third reading cal.773
- 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.
Extend Invasive Species Law
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Steven Englebright
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5937
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAMINSKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend chapter 330 of the laws of 2014, amending the environmental conservation law relating to aquatic invasive species, spread prevention, and penalties, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 4 of chapter 330 of the laws of 2014, amending the environmental conservation law relating to aquatic invasive species, spread prevention, and penalties, is amended to read as follows:
§ 4. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law, and shall expire and be deemed repealed June 1, [2019] 2020. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment, and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the timely implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made on or before such effective date.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11807-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend chapter 330 of the laws of 2014, amending the environmental conservation law relating to aquatic invasive species, spread prevention, and penalties, in relation to the effective- ness thereof
Purpose
OF THE BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by prohibiting the launching of watercraft or floating docks without taking reasonable precautions to remove visible plant or animal matter by washing, draining and drying.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill would amend § 9-1710 and § 71-0703 of the Envi- ronmental Conservation Law (ECL) to extend, until June 1, 2020, DEC's authority to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Section 2 of this bill provides an immediate effective date.
Statement in support
In 2007, the Legislature enacted Title 17 of Article 9 of the ECL in an effort to begin addressing the recognized unacceptable risk to New York State's environment and economy posed by invasive plants and animals. Title 17 established the New York Invasive Species Council (ISC), consisting of DEC and the Department of Agriculture Markets (A&M) as co-chairs, and the Department of Transportation, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Department of Education, the Department of State, the New York State Thruway Authority, the New York State Canal Corporation and the Adirondack Park Agency as members.
In their 2010 meeting, the ISC unanimously approved this legislation, as well as the concepts, which were adopted by Chapter 267 of the Laws of 2012 requiring the establishment in regulations of lists of prohibited and regulated invasive species, as a means of preventing the spread of aquatic species.
Recreational boating is a key means by which invasive plants and animals are spread between water bodies. Examples of aquatic invasive plants include hydriila, Eurasian water milfoil and European water chestnut; invasive aquatic animals include zebra mussels and spiny waterflea. New York State has invested many millions of dollars to rid waters of aquat- ic invasive species. The prevention measures required in this legis- lation, such as checking, cleaning and drying boats, trailers, and equipment can be easily performed by boat owners without cost to New York State, and would serve to slow the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Several states have adopted similar legislation, including Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, Vermont and Wisconsin. In addition, several localities (Washington, Warren, Tomkins, Essex and Schuyler Counties and the Towns of Lake Pleasant, Santa Clara, Harrietstown, North Elba, Lake Placid, Franklin, and Brighton in the Adirondacks) have adopted legis- lation which attempts to address the spread of aquatic invasive species, resulting in inconsistent and varying rules across the State. The Town of Chester has mandated inspections and boat washing before launching into Loon Lake. The Lake George Park Commission has adopted regulations mandating watercraft inspection and cleaning when accessing Lake George. Adoption of this legislation helped reduce the spread of water-borne invasive species across the state, enhanced protection of all waterbod- ies, not only those which were the subject of local laws, and avoided further "patchwork" laws and regulations.
Prior legislative history
DEC's regulatory authority was last extended by Chapter 330 of the Laws of 2014.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
The bill would take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.