Senate Bill S10496

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10496
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. BOTTCHER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
   Parks and Recreation
 
 AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law,  in
   relation  to granting certain first responders free use of state parks
   and campsites

   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 "heroes park pass act".
   § 2. Subdivision 1 of section  13.19  of  the  parks,  recreation  and
 historic  preservation  law,  as  amended  by chapter 616 of the laws of
 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, any person who is:
 blind, non-ambulatory, or an amputee [or any]; A veteran or member of  a
 Gold Star family; OR A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE WHO IS A RETIRED FIRST
 RESPONDER  THAT SERVED A COUNTY, TOWN, CITY, VILLAGE OR THE STATE, shall
 be permitted to use any of the public campsites, parks and other  public
 places  of  recreation in this state, upon the same terms and conditions
 as apply to the general public, but without the payment of any  fees  or
 other  charges  for  the  use  of such campsites, parks and other public
 places of recreation.
   § 3. Subdivision 2 of section  13.19  of  the  parks,  recreation  and
 historic preservation law is amended by chapter 103 of the laws of 2024,
 is amended to read as follows
   2.  For  the purposes of this section (a) "veteran" shall mean a resi-
 dent of this state who is: (i) a veteran as  such  term  is  defined  in
 section  one  of  the  veterans'  services law; or (ii) a person who has
 served on active duty for the state as a member of the  state  organized
 militia  as  defined  in subdivision nine of section one of the military
 law and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions  other
 than  dishonorable;  or  (iii) a person who has served on active duty in
 the uniformed services of the United States or on active  duty  for  the
 state  as  a member of the organized militia and has a qualifying condi-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD13661-04-6
 S. 10496                            2
 
 tion, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of
 the  veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable from such service; [and]
   (b) "member of a Gold Star family" shall mean a resident of this state
 who is a gold star parent as defined in section twenty-six of the veter-
 ans' services law, the spouse or domestic partner,  or  the  biological,
 step,  or legally adopted minor child of a veteran whose death qualified
 the parent for an annuity[.]; AND
   (C) "FIRST RESPONDER" SHALL MEAN A FIREFIGHTER, LAW ENFORCEMENT  OFFI-
 CER,   PARAMEDIC,   EMERGENCY  MEDICAL  TECHNICIAN,  EMERGENCY  SERVICES
 DISPATCHER, OR OTHER INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER COMPENSATED OR NOT WHO, IN  THE
 COURSE  OF  THEIR  PROFESSIONAL  OR  VOLUNTEER DUTIES, RESPONDS TO FIRE,
 MEDICAL, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, OR OTHER SIMILAR EMERGENCIES.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.