What's happening
This bill creates a pilot program to install blue light emergency phones in one park per NYC borough and requires a public safety impact study.
Why it matters
Expands public safety infrastructure. By mandating the installation of blue light emergency phones in one park per borough, the bill introduces an additional way for park-goers to contact emergency services, which could be especially important in areas with limited cellphone coverage or during critical incidents.
Targets equitable distribution. Requiring coverage in each borough ensures that the pilot program is not concentrated in just one part of the city, potentially addressing disparities in public safety resources across diverse neighborhoods.
Evidence-based policy approach. The required study will compare public safety outcomes in parks with and without the emergency phones, providing data that can inform future decisions about broader implementation or different safety investments.
Potential for legislative action. By requiring recommendations based on the study’s findings to be submitted to key city and state leaders, the bill lays the groundwork for possible expansion or policy shifts, depending on the program’s measured effectiveness.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Install Emergency Phones in Parks
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to cities
- Referred to cities
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
125
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. EICHENSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Cities
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating the blue light emergency phones pilot program and to direct the commissioner of parks and recreation to study and report upon the use of such program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 18-165 to read as follows:
§ 18-165 Blue light emergency phones pilot program. In one park, operated by or under the jurisdiction of the department, in each of the five boroughs, the department shall implement a blue light emergency phones pilot program for the purpose of public safety. Under such program, the department shall install blue lighted emergency phones that, when used, shall automatically dial 9-1-1 and ring directly to the police department.
§ 2. The commissioner of parks and recreation shall cause a study to be performed to analyze how the implementation of blue light emergency phones pilot program in parks impacts public safety compared to parks without such a program.
§ 3. On or before three hundred sixty-five days after all five locations identified for the blue light emergency phones pilot program have become operational, the commissioner of parks and recreation shall complete the study conducted pursuant to section two of this act and shall thereafter deliver a copy of the findings of the study and any legislative recommendations deemed to be necessary to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the mayor of the city of New York.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00540-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.