Requires the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public using facilities under its jurisdiction, which shall include ensuring a minimum staff of three hundred eighty-five permanently appointed, full time regional state park police officers at state parks, beaches, campgrounds, historic sites and concert venues; makes related provisions.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4528
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MORINELLO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development
AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to police staffing at certain parks
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 3.07 of the parks, recreation and historic preser-
vation law is amended by adding three new subdivisions 3, 4 and 5 to
read as follows:
3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE
OF THE PUBLIC USING FACILITIES UNDER ITS JURISDICTION, WHICH SHALL
INCLUDE ENSURING A MINIMUM STAFF OF THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE PERMANENT-
LY APPOINTED, FULL TIME REGIONAL STATE PARK POLICE OFFICERS AT STATE
PARKS, BEACHES, CAMPGROUNDS, HISTORIC SITES AND CONCERT VENUES. THE
NUMBER OF REGIONAL STATE PARK POLICE OFFICERS DEPLOYED TO EACH REGION
SHALL BE EQUIVALENT TO THE PERCENTAGE OF EACH REGION'S FIVE YEAR ATTEND-
ANCE AVERAGE.
4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOT OPEN A NEW STATE PARK, BEACH, CAMP-
GROUND, HISTORIC SITE OR CONCERT VENUE UNLESS SUCH COMMISSIONER SUBMITS
A STAFFING PLAN TO THE LEGISLATURE THAT DEMONSTRATES THERE IS A SUFFI-
CIENT NUMBER OF REGIONAL STATE PARK POLICE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE AND
APPROPRIATE DELIVERY OF POLICE SERVICES TO PATRONS VISITING THE NEW
SITE.
5. THE COMMISSIONER MAY REDEPLOY REGIONAL STATE PARK POLICE OFFICERS
OUTSIDE OF THEIR ASSIGNED REGION IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. EMERGEN-
CIES ARE DEFINED AS NATURAL DISASTERS, DECLARED EMERGENCIES AND MASS
CASUALTY INCIDENTS.
§ 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00383-01-5
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