S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8907
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  LEVENBERG  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to prohibiting the naming
   of state buildings after public officers
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "Prohibiting Elevation of Notorious Names (PENN) Act".
   § 2. Article 50 and sections 1000, 1001, 1002 and 1003 of  the  execu-
 tive  law,  as renumbered by chapter 770 of the laws of 1978, are renum-
 bered article 60 and sections 1500, 1501, 1502 and 1503.
   § 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 50  to  read
 as follows:
                                ARTICLE 50
                        NAMING OF PUBLIC FACILITIES
 SECTION 1000. NAMING OF PUBLIC FACILITIES.
   § 1000. NAMING OF PUBLIC FACILITIES. 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION:
   (A) "PUBLIC FACILITY" MEANS A BUILDING OR OTHER REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY
 THE STATE OR A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE; AND
   (B)  "PUBLIC  OFFICER"  MEANS A PERSON ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE OR ANY
 PERSON APPOINTED OR EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OR A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION  OF
 THE STATE.
   2.  A  PUBLIC  FACILITY SHALL NOT BE NAMED FOR A PUBLIC OFFICER DURING
 THE PERIOD IN WHICH THAT PERSON IS A PUBLIC OFFICER.
   3. A PUBLIC FACILITY SHALL NOT BE NAMED FOR A PUBLIC OFFICER  WHO  HAS
 BEEN  CONVICTED  OF  A  FELONY.  THE  STATE SHALL REMOVE THE NAME FROM A
 PUBLIC FACILITY NAMED  FOR  SUCH  PERSON  IMMEDIATELY  UPON  CONVICTION,
 WHETHER  OR  NOT  ANOTHER  NAME HAS BEEN OFFERED OR APPROVED FOR SUBSTI-
 TUTION AND RENAMING.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11938-01-5
 A. 8907                             2
 
              
             
                          
                   4. A PUBLIC FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN NAMED FOR A PERSON WHO  WAS  NOT  A
 PUBLIC  OFFICER AT THE TIME OF THE NAMING MAY CONTINUE TO BEAR THAT NAME
 IF THE PERSON SUBSEQUENTLY BECOMES A PUBLIC OFFICER.
   5.  EXCEPT  AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION, A PUBLIC
 FACILITY NAMED FOR A PUBLIC OFFICER PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF  THIS
 SECTION MAY CONTINUE TO BEAR THE NAME OF THAT PUBLIC OFFICER.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.