Assembly Bill A6296

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6296
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 3, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. R. CARROLL, DeSTEFANO, REYES, TAGUE, WILLIAMS --
   Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, SAYEGH, SIMON --  read  once  and
   referred  to the Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Develop-
   ment
 
 AN ACT to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in  relation  to  the
   establishment of regional arts, cultural affairs, and parks grants
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The arts and cultural affairs law is amended  by  adding  a
 new article 6 to read as follows:
                                 ARTICLE 6
             REGIONAL ARTS, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND PARKS GRANTS
 SECTION 6.01. DEFINITIONS.
         6.03. ESTABLISHMENT   OF   ARTS,  CULTURAL  AFFAIRS,  AND  PARKS
                 REGIONS.
         6.05. REGIONAL ARTS, CULTURAL  AFFAIRS,  AND  PARKS  COMPETITIVE
                 GRANTS.
   §  6.01.  DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   1. "REGIONS" SHALL MEAN THE ARTS, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND PARKS  REGIONS
 ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 6.03 OF THIS ARTICLE.
   2.  "REGIONAL  COUNCILS"  SHALL  MEAN  THE COUNCILS WHICH ISSUE GRANTS
 UNDER SECTION 6.05 OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 6.03. ESTABLISHMENT OF ARTS, CULTURAL AFFAIRS,  AND  PARKS  REGIONS.
 TEN ARTS, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND PARKS REGIONS SHALL BE ESTABLISHED WITH-
 IN THE STATE, ONE FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING REGIONS:
   1. LONG ISLAND (WHICH CONSISTS OF SUFFOLK AND NASSAU COUNTIES);
   2.  THE  CITY  OF NEW YORK (WHICH CONSISTS OF BRONX, NEW YORK, QUEENS,
 KINGS, AND RICHMOND COUNTIES);
   3. THE MID-HUDSON REGION (WHICH CONSISTS OF SULLIVAN,  ULSTER,  DUTCH-
 ESS, ORANGE, PUTNAM, WESTCHESTER, AND ROCKLAND COUNTIES);

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08872-01-5
              

 A. 6296                             2
 
   4.  THE  SOUTHERN TIER (WHICH CONSISTS OF STEUBEN, SCHUYLER, TOMPKINS,
 CHEMUNG, TIOGA, CHENANGO, BROOME, AND DELAWARE COUNTIES);
   5. THE CAPITAL REGION (WHICH CONSISTS OF WARREN, WASHINGTON, SARATOGA,
 SCHENECTADY, RENSSELAER, ALBANY, COLUMBIA, AND GREENE COUNTIES);
   6.  THE  MOHAWK  VALLEY  (WHICH  CONSISTS OF ONEIDA, HERKIMER, FULTON,
 MONTGOMERY, OTSEGO, AND SCHOHARIE COUNTIES);
   7. THE  NORTH  COUNTRY  (WHICH  CONSISTS  OF  CLINTON,  FRANKLIN,  ST.
 LAWRENCE, JEFFERSON, LEWIS, HAMILTON, AND ESSEX COUNTIES);
   8.  THE  CENTRAL  REGION  (WHICH CONSISTS OF OSWEGO, CAYUGA, ONONDAGA,
 MADISON, AND CORTLAND COUNTIES);
   9. THE FINGER LAKES REGION (WHICH CONSISTS OF ORLEANS, MONROE,  WAYNE,
 GENESEE, WYOMING, LIVINGSTON, ONTARIO, SENECA, AND YATES COUNTIES); AND
   10.  THE  WESTERN REGION (WHICH CONSISTS OF NIAGARA, ERIE, CHAUTAUQUA,
 CATTARAUGUS, AND ALLEGANY COUNTIES).
   § 6.05. REGIONAL ARTS, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND PARKS COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
 1. THE GOVERNOR SHALL, IN EACH REGION, ESTABLISH  A  COUNCIL  WHO  SHALL
 ISSUE COMPETITIVE GRANTS WITHIN THE REGION. THE MEMBERS OF EACH REGIONAL
 COUNCIL  SHALL  BE LOCAL EXPERTS AND STAKEHOLDERS FROM ARTS AND CULTURAL
 AFFAIRS ORGANIZATIONS AND PARKS ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN  THE  REGION.  EACH
 REGIONAL  COUNCIL SHALL HAVE SEVEN TOTAL MEMBERS APPOINTED TO SUCH COUN-
 CIL. FIVE MEMBERS OF EACH REGIONAL COUNCIL SHALL  BE  APPOINTED  BY  THE
 GOVERNOR  AND SHALL SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE GOVERNOR, ONE MEMBER OF
 EACH REGIONAL COUNCIL SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE  ASSEMBLY
 AND  SERVE  AT  THE  PLEASURE  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY, AND ONE MEMBER OF EACH
 REGIONAL COUNCIL SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE
 SENATE  AND  SERVE  AT  THE  PLEASURE  OF THE SENATE. ALL MEMBERS OF THE
 REGIONAL COUNCILS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF  SECTION  SEVEN-
 TY-THREE-A OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW.
   2. THE REGIONAL COUNCILS SHALL, WITH APPROVAL FROM THE GOVERNOR, ISSUE
 COMPETITIVE  GRANTS TO ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ORGANIZATIONS AND PARKS
 ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THEIR REGION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS SUCH THAT:
   (A) IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK REGION, AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF GRANT MONEY  IS
 ISSUED TO ORGANIZATIONS WITH OPERATING BUDGETS OF TEN MILLION DOLLARS OR
 MORE  AS  IS ISSUED TO ORGANIZATIONS WITH OPERATING BUDGETS OF LESS THAN
 TEN MILLION DOLLARS; AND
   (B) IN ALL OTHER REGIONS, AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF GRANT MONEY IS ISSUED  TO
 ORGANIZATIONS  WITH OPERATING BUDGETS OF FIVE MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE AS
 IS ISSUED TO ORGANIZATIONS WITH OPERATING  BUDGETS  OF  LESS  THAN  FIVE
 MILLION DOLLARS.
   3.  THE  REGIONAL  COUNCILS  SHALL  DETERMINE WHICH ORGANIZATION SHALL
 RECEIVE A COMPETITIVE GRANT BASED ON CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE  GOVER-
 NOR FOR SUCH PURPOSE.
   4.  NO  REGIONAL  COUNCIL SHALL ISSUE A GRANT TO AN ORGANIZATION WHICH
 HAS RECEIVED A GRANT UNDER THIS ARTICLE WITHIN THE PRIOR THREE YEARS.
   5. NO REGIONAL COUNCIL SHALL ISSUE GRANTS  TOTALING  MORE  THAN  FIFTY
 PERCENT OF SUCH COUNCIL'S GRANT MONEY ISSUED IN A CALENDAR YEAR TO PARKS
 ORGANIZATIONS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.