What's happening
This bill expands adopt-a-municipal park and roadway programs to also include lakes for volunteer litter cleanup agreements.
Why it matters
Expanding volunteer opportunities. By including lakes, the bill enables more local groups and individuals to participate in environmental stewardship, potentially increasing community engagement and pride in local natural resources.
Targeting a significant source of pollution. Lakes are often subject to littering and pollution, so their inclusion addresses a gap in existing cleanup efforts that previously focused only on parks, shorelines, and roadways.
Visibility and recognition for volunteers. The bill ensures that volunteers or groups who adopt lakes will be publicly recognized with signage, which can encourage ongoing participation and foster a sense of ownership and responsibility.
Liability protection for municipalities. The legislation maintains legal protections for local governments, clarifying that they are not liable for damages resulting from volunteer activities, which could lower barriers for municipalities to expand these programs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Include Lakes in Adopt Programs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to local government
- Referred to rules
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.
Add Lakes to Adopt Programs
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Albert A. Stirpe
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6366
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 6, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to including lakes in adopt-a-municipal park, shoreline or roadway programs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The article heading of article 13-BB of the general municipal law, as added by chapter 626 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
ADOPT-A-MUNICIPAL PARK, SHORELINE [OR], ROADWAY
OR LAKE PROGRAMS
§ 2. Section 277 of the general municipal law, as added by chapter 626 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
§ 277. Adopt-a-municipal park, shoreline [or], roadway or lake programs. 1. The governing body of any county, city, town or village is hereby authorized and empowered to authorize and direct such of its officers or agencies as it shall designate to enter into [adopt-a-park] adopt-a-municipal park, shoreline [or], roadway or lake program agreements with volunteers or groups in an effort to reduce and remove litter from its municipal parks, shorelines, roadways, lakes and other public lands. Such agreements shall include but not be limited to:
a. providing and coordinating services by volunteers or groups to reduce the amount of litter including providing trash bags and trash bag pick up and in designated areas where volunteers may be in close proximity to moving vehicles providing safety briefings and reflective safety gear; and
b. providing and installing signs identifying those volunteers or groups adopting its particular municipal parks, shorelines, roadways, lakes or other sections of public land.
2. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, the county, city, town or village and its employees shall not be liable for damages
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00544-01-9
S. 6366 2
suffered by any persons resulting from the actions or activities of such volunteers or groups.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to including lakes in adopt-a-municipal park, shoreline or roadway programs
Purpose
Add lakes to those areas that are eligible to participate in the Munici- pal Adoption Program.
Summary of provisions
Section 277 of the General Municipal Law that provides for agreements with volunteer groups for adopt-a-municipal park, shoreline or roadway shall be amended to include lakes.
Justification
Many communities have lakes that can become littered and unsightly. This bill would expand the present statute to allow these areas to be the subject of agreements under which volunteers could maintain a beau- tiful resource.
Legislative history
2017-18 S.2469-A/A.8599; REF TO LOCAL GOVT 2015-16 S.3954/A.5473; REF TO LOCAL GOVT 2013-14 S.4733A/A.6802A; REF TO LOCAL GOVT 2011-12 S.5073 COMMITTED TO RULES
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
60 days after passage.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.