Assembly Bill A8413A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8413--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             November 8, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. CRUZ, FERNANDEZ, BURDICK, SIMON, DARLING, McDO-
   NOUGH, GLICK -- read once and referred to  the  Committee  on  Govern-
   mental  Operations  --  recommitted  to  the Committee on Governmental
   Operations in accordance with Assembly Rule 3,  sec.  2  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  establish  a  commission to be known as the "New York State
   Temporary Commission on the Threat of Rising  Oceans";  and  providing
   for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. There is hereby established a temporary  commission  to  be
 known  as  the  "New  York  State  Temporary Commission on the Threat of
 Rising Oceans", hereinafter referred to in this act as the "commission".
   § 2. 1. The commission shall be composed of 17  members  appointed  in
 accordance with subdivision two of this section.
   2.  The  members  shall be appointed for the life of the commission as
 follows:
   (a) 3 shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
   (b) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
   (c) 3 shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   (d) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and
   (e) 9 shall be appointed by the governor.
   3. The members of the commission shall be individuals who  have  know-
 ledge  or expertise, whether by experience or training, in matters to be
 studied by the commission under subdivision six of this section.
   4. The temporary president of the senate, the minority leader  of  the
 senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the assembly
 and the governor shall make his or her respective appointments not later
 than  60  days  after  the  effective date of this act. Any vacancy that
 occurs during the life of the commission shall not affect the powers  of

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09461-02-2
              

 A. 8413--A                          2
 
 the  commission  and  shall be filled in the same manner as the original
 appointment not later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs.
   5.  A  majority  of  the  members shall constitute a quorum to conduct
 business, but the commission may establish a lesser quorum for  conduct-
 ing  hearings scheduled by the commission. Each member shall have 1 vote
 and the vote of each member shall  be  accorded  the  same  weight.  The
 commission  may  establish,  by  majority  vote, any other rules for the
 conduct of the commission's business, insofar  as  such  rules  are  not
 inconsistent with this section or other applicable law.
   6. The commission shall conduct a comprehensive study on the threat of
 rising ocean levels.
   (a) The matters studied by the commission under this subdivision shall
 include, but not be limited to:
   (1)  the  threat  of  rising  oceans  on  shoreline communities, their
 infrastructure, and residents;
   (2) options available to protect New York City and  Long  Island  from
 rising oceans and provide a cost estimate for such options;
   (3)  options  available to protect New York Harbor from rising oceans,
 including, but not limited to, the building of a sea wall and its  asso-
 ciated costs;
   (4)  international  infrastructure  in  place to protect other regions
 from rising oceans and provide a comparative description of  what  other
 nations  have  done  to address that threat in those regions and at what
 costs;
   (5) a review of the current flood zone designations of  shoreline  and
 waterfront communities;
   (6)  a  review  of  current  flood  insurance  rate maps and impact on
 increasing cost of obtaining flood  insurance  for  property  owners  in
 Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") designated communities that
 are and will be prone to flooding;
   (7)  a  review  of  critical  infrastructure  such  as water and waste
 filtration systems, chemical and fuel storage facilities, energy produc-
 ing facilities and equipment in FEMA  designated  flood  zones  and  the
 impact of severe flooding of those areas; and
   (8)  the  need  for a public awareness campaign to inform residents in
 flood zones on how to prepare for possible damage by rising oceans.
   (b) Not later than March 1, 2023, the commission shall submit  to  the
 governor,  the  senate,  and  the assembly a comprehensive report on the
 commission's findings and conclusions. Such report  shall  address  each
 matter studied by the commission.
   7. The commission shall have the power to hold hearings, at such sites
 and  to  act  at  such  times and places, to take such testimony, and to
 receive such evidence as the commission considers advisable to  carrying
 out its duties under this section.
   8.  Members  of the commission shall receive no compensation but shall
 be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses in the performance
 of their duties pursuant to this act.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire April  1,
 2023  when  upon  such  date  the provisions of this act shall be deemed
 repealed.