S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
600--A
Cal. No. 563
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government --
reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second
report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted,
retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, the general city law, the
town law, and the village law, in relation to requiring certain munic-
ipal planning boards and zoning boards of appeals to receive environ-
mentally conscious planning training
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (d) of subdivision 2 of
section 239-c of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter 662 of
the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
(i) Each member of a county planning board shall complete, at a mini-
mum, [four] FIVE hours of training each year designed to enable such
members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by
a member in excess of [four] FIVE hours in any one year, EXCEPT FOR
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING TRAINING, may be carried over by the
member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this
paragraph. Such training shall be approved by the county and may
include, but not be limited to, training provided by a regional or coun-
ty planning office or commission, county planning federation, state
agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar enti-
ty. TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE HOUR RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTALLY
CONSCIOUS PLANNING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO BE LIMITED TO, TRAINING TO
MEET THE GOALS OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMU-
NITY PROTECTION ACT, INCLUDING ANY GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES,
FARMLAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE JUSTICE, ENVIRON-
MENTALLY CONSCIOUS SITE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERIAL TECHNIQUES AND WATER
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02018-02-5
S. 600--A 2
MITIGATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICES. Training may be provided
in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media,
video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 2. Paragraph a of subdivision 7-a of section 27 of the general city
law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as
follows:
a. Each member of the planning board of a city, except a city having a
population of more than one million, shall complete, at a minimum,
[four] FIVE hours of training each year designed to enable such members
to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a
member in excess of [four] FIVE hours in any one year, EXCEPT FOR ENVI-
RONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING TRAINING, may be carried over by the
member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this
subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the legislative body and
may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality,
regional or county planning office or commission, county planning feder-
ation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other
similar entity. TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE HOUR RELATED TO
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO BE LIMITED TO,
TRAINING TO MEET THE GOALS OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP
AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT, INCLUDING ANY GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTU-
NITIES, FARMLAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE JUSTICE,
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS SITE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERIAL TECHNIQUES AND
WATER MITIGATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICES. Training may be
provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, elec-
tronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom train-
ing.
§ 3. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 7-a of section 81 of the general
city law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Each member of the board of appeals in a city, except a city
having a population of more than one million, shall complete, at a mini-
mum, [four] FIVE hours of training each year designed to enable such
members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by
a member in excess of [four] FIVE hours in any one year, EXCEPT FOR
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING TRAINING, may be carried over by the
member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this
subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the legislative body and
may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality,
regional or county planning office or commission, county planning feder-
ation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other
similar entity. TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE HOUR RELATED TO
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO BE LIMITED TO,
TRAINING TO MEET THE GOALS OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP
AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT, INCLUDING ANY GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTU-
NITIES, FARMLAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE JUSTICE,
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS SITE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERIAL TECHNIQUES AND
WATER MITIGATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICES. Training may be
provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, elec-
tronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom train-
ing.
§ 4. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 7-a of section 267 of the town law,
as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as
follows:
(a) Each member of the board of appeals shall complete, at a minimum,
[four] FIVE hours of training each year designed to enable such members
S. 600--A 3
to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a
member in excess of [four] FIVE hours in any one year, EXCEPT FOR ENVI-
RONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING TRAINING, may be carried over by the
member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this
subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the town board and may
include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality,
regional or county planning office or commission, county planning feder-
ation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other
similar entity. TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE HOUR RELATED TO
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO BE LIMITED TO,
TRAINING TO MEET THE GOALS OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP
AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT, INCLUDING ANY GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTU-
NITIES, FARMLAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE JUSTICE,
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS SITE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERIAL TECHNIQUES AND
WATER MITIGATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICES. Training may be
provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, elec-
tronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom train-
ing.
§ 5. Paragraph a of subdivision 7-a of section 271 of the town law,
as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as
follows:
a. Each member of the planning board shall complete, at a minimum,
[four] FIVE hours of training each year designed to enable such members
to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a
member in excess of [four] FIVE hours in any one year, EXCEPT FOR ENVI-
RONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING TRAINING, may be carried over by the
member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this
subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the town board and may
include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality,
regional or county planning office or commission, county planning feder-
ation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other
similar entity. TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE HOUR RELATED TO
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO BE LIMITED TO,
TRAINING TO MEET THE GOALS OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP
AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT, INCLUDING ANY GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTU-
NITIES, FARMLAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE JUSTICE,
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS SITE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERIAL TECHNIQUES AND
WATER MITIGATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICES. Training may be
provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, elec-
tronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom train-
ing.
§ 6. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 7-a of section 7-712 of the village
law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as
follows:
(a) Each member of the board of appeals shall complete, at a minimum,
[four] FIVE hours of training each year designed to enable such members
to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a
member in excess of [four] FIVE hours in any one year, EXCEPT FOR ENVI-
RONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING TRAINING, may be carried over by the
member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this
subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the board of trustees
and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a munici-
pality, regional or county planning office or commission, county plan-
ning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college
or other similar entity. TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE HOUR
RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO BE
S. 600--A 4
LIMITED TO, TRAINING TO MEET THE GOALS OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE
CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT, INCLUDING ANY GRANT AND
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, FARMLAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION,
CLIMATE JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS SITE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERI-
AL TECHNIQUES AND WATER MITIGATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICES.
Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not
limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional
classroom training.
§ 7. Paragraph a of subdivision 7-a of section 7-718 of the village
law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as
follows:
a. Each member of the planning board shall complete, at a minimum,
[four] FIVE hours of training each year designed to enable such members
to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a
member in excess of [four] FIVE hours in any one year, EXCEPT FOR ENVI-
RONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING TRAINING, may be carried over by the
member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this
subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the board of trustees
and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a munici-
pality, regional or county planning office or commission, county plan-
ning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college
or other similar entity. TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE HOUR
RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLANNING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO BE
LIMITED TO, TRAINING TO MEET THE GOALS OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE
CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT, INCLUDING ANY GRANT AND
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, FARMLAND AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION,
CLIMATE JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS SITE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERI-
AL TECHNIQUES AND WATER MITIGATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS BEST PRACTICES.
Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not
limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional
classroom training.
§ 8. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.