S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7737
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               April 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. KIM -- read once and referred to the Committee on
   Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  arts  and cultural affairs law and the economic
   development law,  in  relation  to  creating  the  arts  and  cultural
   district

   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 section 3.17 to read as follows:
   §  3.17.  ARTS  AND  CULTURAL DISTRICTS. 1.   FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
 SECTION, "ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS" MEANS GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF A CITY,
 TOWN OR VILLAGE WITH A CONCENTRATION  OF  ARTS  OR  CULTURAL  FACILITIES
 LOCATED WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES. TWO OR MORE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAY JOINTLY
 APPLY FOR A DESIGNATED DISTRICT WHERE THE PROPOSED  GEOGRAPHIC  AREA  OF
 SUCH  DISTRICT  SHALL EXTEND ACROSS COMMONLY HELD JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDA-
 RIES.
   2.  THE COUNCIL, IN COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVEL-
 OPMENT AND ANY OTHER STATE DEPARTMENT, OFFICE, DIVISION  OR  AGENCY  THE
 COUNCIL DEEMS NECESSARY, SHALL DEVELOP CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES FOR STATE
 DESIGNATED ARTS AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS.  CRITERIA DEVELOPED BY THE COUN-
 CIL,  IN COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ANY
 OTHER STATE DEPARTMENT, OFFICE, DIVISION OR  AGENCY  THE  COUNCIL  DEEMS
 NECESSARY,  TO  DESIGNATE  A  DISTRICT SHALL, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE,
 INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, DETERMINATIONS THAT SUCH  DISTRICT:  (A)
 ATTRACTS  ARTISTS, ARTS EDUCATORS, OR CULTURAL ENTERPRISES TO THE COMMU-
 NITY, (B) ENCOURAGES ENTERPRISE AND JOB DEVELOPMENT DUE TO  THE  CONCEN-
 TRATION  OF  ARTISTIC  OR  CULTURAL  ACTIVITY,  A MAJOR ARTS OR CULTURAL
 INSTITUTION OR FACILITY, ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES, AN AREA WITH
 ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, ARTS EDUCATION, OR  ARTISTIC  OR  CULTURAL
 PRODUCTION,  (C)  ATTRACTS  A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF TOURISM, (D) ENHANCES
 LOCAL PROPERTY  VALUES  AND  FOSTERS  LOCAL  CULTURAL  DEVELOPMENT,  (E)
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01663-01-5
              

 A. 7737                             2
 
 ENGAGES IN THE PROMOTIONAL, PRESERVATION, AND EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE
 ARTS  AND  CULTURE OF THE COMMUNITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH
 INTERPRETIVE, EDUCATIONAL, OR RECREATIONAL USES; OR (F) SATISFIES  ADDI-
 TIONAL  CRITERIA  AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE  COUNCIL THAT WILL FURTHER THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION.  THE COUNCIL, IN COOPERATION WITH THE  DEPART-
 MENT  OF  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT  AND ANY OTHER STATE DEPARTMENT, OFFICE,
 DIVISION OR AGENCY THE  COUNCIL  DEEMS  NECESSARY,  SHALL  ALSO  DEVELOP
 GUIDELINES  THAT  PROVIDE  ASSISTANCE  TO  A  CITY, TOWN, OR VILLAGE, OR
 MULTIPLE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS APPLYING JOINTLY IN DEVELOPING AN APPLICATION
 FOR DISTRICT CERTIFICATION.  FOR ANY STATE DESIGNATED ARTS AND  CULTURAL
 DISTRICT,   THE  DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IN COOPERATION WITH
 THE COUNCIL AND ANY OTHER STATE DEPARTMENT, OFFICE, DIVISION  OR  AGENCY
 THE DEPARTMENT DEEMS NECESSARY, SHALL PROVIDE STATE SUPPORTED ASSISTANCE
 TO  THE DISTRICT IN ITS ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED TO  TECH-
 NICAL  ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING FOR FEDERAL AND NON-PROFIT GRANTS, MARKET-
 ING EXPERTISE, IDENTIFICATION OF OTHER STATE    RESOURCES    THAT    MAY
 ASSIST   A  DISTRICT'S ACTIVITIES  OR  PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE CREATED OR
 EXPANDED WITHIN STATE AGENCIES TO ASSIST DISTRICTS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law.