S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1456
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 12, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development
AN ACT to provide for the creation of regional conservation partnership
trusts
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative findings and purpose. The legislature finds
that the state's heritage areas, greenways, preserves, partnerships and
other specially designated areas are unique and special areas serving
public interests in conservation, education, recreation and sustainable
development. Often these areas include all or portions of many cities,
towns and villages, and their management depends on interrelationships
between state and municipal entities and private entities. They have
appropriately been called "partnership parks". While state funding has
often been available for the acquisition of open space and recreational
and historic preservation projects, support for management and steward-
ship of partnership parks has been insufficient and threatens the
resources for which these areas have been designated.
The legislature further finds that community philanthropic organiza-
tions and nonprofit conservation organizations have provided some
support for partnership parks and if assisted by the state may be able
to maximize public and private funding for management and stewardship.
Therefore, the legislature hereby establishes a framework for areas of
the state to create regional partnership trusts to raise and distribute
funds for nonprofit conservation organizations providing management and
stewardship services for partnership parks and other state and local
conservation activity.
S 2. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "New
York state regional conservation partnership trust act".
S 3. Regional conservation partnership trusts. (a) Community founda-
tions may apply to the commissioners of environmental conservation and
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06133-01-5
A. 1456 2
parks, recreation and historic preservation to be certified as regional
conservation partnership trust boards. Each such partnership trust board
shall be a charitable subsidiary of a community foundation organized to
support management and stewardship activities of a not-for-profit
conservation organization within its region. Such activities shall be
provided to partnership parks with the trust board's region.
(b) The commissioners of environmental conservation and parks, recre-
ation and historic preservation shall approve and certify as regional
conservation partnership trusts those not-for-profit corporations that
are dedicated to raise funds from private donors for the purposes of
grants to non-profit organizations consistent with the purposes of this
act. The members of a board of a partnership trust shall serve without
compensation for their work. Each partnership trust shall establish a
fund to consist of donations and funds made available therefor from the
state.
S 4. The state is hereby authorized, during any state fiscal year, to
disburse not more than one million dollars to regional conservation
partnership trusts to match donations to such trust during the state
fiscal year, and made available for grants to not-for-profit corpo-
rations for the purpose of this act.
S 5. This act shall take effect immediately.