NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7951

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 14, 2025	referred to finance

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: State Finance Law
Laws Affected:: Add §99-tt, St Fin L; add §67, Hway L

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the native/pollinator planting fund and the pollinator highway program with the goal of promoting the cultivation and maintenance of native flowering plants, grasses and shrubs on land bordering state highways and on other public lands.

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7951

SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the state finance law and the highway law, in relation
to establishing the native/pollinator planting fund and the pollinator
highway program

 
PURPOSE OF BILL::

To establish and provide for funding of a program to promote the culti-
vation and maintenance of native flowering plants, grasses, and shrubs
on land bordering state highways and other public lands.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS::

Section 1 amends the state finance law by adding a new section 99-ss
which establishes a native/pollinator planting fund in the joint custody
of the commissioner of taxation and finance and the state comptroller.
The fund shall consist of revenue from appropriations, interest earned,
state and federal grants for green infrastructure projects, and revenue

generated from the sale of a dedicated vanity license plate featuring
native plant or pollinator imagery. Money from the fund shall support
the establishment of the pollinator highway program.

Section 2 amends the highway law by adding a new section 67 establishing
the pollinator highway program to promote the cultivation and mainte-
nance of native flowering plants, grasses and shrubs on land bordering
state highways and on other public lands.  Objectives for the program
shall include: incorporating native plants into green infrastructure
solutions, establishing and enhancing pollinator habitats, and utilizing
native vegetation to improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce
the need for emissions-intensive maintenance activities. The Department
of Transportation shall consult with other state agencies including the
Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Department of Environ-
mental Conservation and with environmental organizations to identify
suitable locations for planting, develop standards for plant selection,
encourage use of innovative stormwater management techniques integrating
native vegetation, and shall coordinate with municipalities and regional
agencies and environmental groups to implement pilot projects and commu-
nity-based initiatives. The Department of Transportation shall support
implementation of the program by establishing grants to municipalities
and public-private partnerships to enhance outreach, and shall work with
the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish a vanity license plant
featuring native plant or pollinator imagery with the proceeds support-
ing the program's activities and grants.

 
JUSTIFICATION::

The New York State Pollinator Task Force, formed in 2015, was charged
with developing a plan for New York to conserve and grow its pollinator
population. The New York State Pollinator Protection Plan, issued in
2016, was updated in 2022.1 The New York state efforts were preceded on
the federal level by the release of Presidential Memorandum - Creating a
Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollina-
tors.2


As noted by the Office of General Services, "New York State agencies and
authorities own or lease a significant percentage of the 31,106,541
acres in New York State. In a natural condition, the environment
performs critical, life-supporting functions, such as cleaning the air
and water, controlling floodwater, moderating temperature and wind, and
providing wildlife habitat.... New York State is home  
TO more than 450
wild pollinator species, including bees, birds and other insects, that
support not only pollination needs for commercial crops, but also the
biodiversity in our environment. With insect populations on the decline
all over the world, it is crucial to protect our pollinators."3

According to the state's Pollinator Protection Plan, the Department of
Transportation, which is responsible for providing safe and efficient
transportation systems, has the ability to also provide suitable habitat
and landscape connectivity for pollinators while maintaining rights of
way. DOT owns 15,000 miles of highway outside New York City and 140
miles within New York City and since October 2012 has encouraged polli-
nator-friendly planting along rights of way.4

This bill recognizes the importance of supporting pollinator health and
diversity by expanding native plant habitats along highway rights of way
and on other public lands. The bill creates a dedicated funding mech-
anism through the native/pollinator planting fund which will include
revenues generated through the sale of a dedicated vanity license plate
featuring native plant or pollinator imagery.

The native/pollinator planting fund will enable the department of trans-
portation to establish the pollinator highway program and expand upon
existing efforts and partnerships with other state agencies, munici-
palities, and environmental organizations to create pollinator-friendly
wildlife habitats along rights of way throughout the state.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE::

This bill shall take effect immediately.

1 NYS Office of General Services, Pollinator Protectors,
https://ogs.ny.goy/pollinator-protectors

2 Presidential Memorandum -- Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the
Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators (June 20, 2014),
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/20/
presidential-memorandum-creating-federal-strategy-promote-health-
honey-b

3 Office of General Services, Conserving Natural Resources,
https://ogs.ny.gov/greenny/conservingnatural-resources

4 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation & Agriculture and
Markets, New York State Pollinator Protection Plan (June 24, 2016),
https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/administration_
pdf/nyspollinatorplan.pdf at 12, 16, 17; NYS Agriculture and Markets,
Pollinator Protection Plan Update (June 23, 2022),
https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2023/06/newyorkstate
pollinatorprotectionplanupdate2023.pdf

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7951
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAYER  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to amend the state finance law and the highway law,  in  relation
   to establishing the native/pollinator planting fund and the pollinator
   highway program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 99-tt to read as follows:
   §  99-TT.  NATIVE/POLLINATOR  PLANTING FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
 LISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND  FINANCE
 AND   THE   STATE  COMPTROLLER  A  SPECIAL  FUND  TO  BE  KNOWN  AS  THE
 NATIVE/POLLINATOR PLANTING FUND. IT SHALL CONSIST OF AMOUNTS CREDITED TO
 THE FUND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION.
   2. THE FUND SHALL CONSIST OF: (A) REVENUE FROM APPROPRIATIONS OR OTHER
 MONEY AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED TO
 BE CREDITED TO THE FUND; (B) INTEREST EARNED ON MONEY IN THE  FUND;  (C)
 STATE  AND  FEDERAL  GRANTS  FOR  GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS; AND (D)
 REVENUE GENERATED FROM THE SALE OF  A  DEDICATED  VANITY  LICENSE  PLATE
 FEATURING  NATIVE  PLANT  OR POLLINATOR IMAGERY. AMOUNTS CREDITED TO THE
 FUND SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO FURTHER APPROPRIATION AND ANY MONEY REMAIN-
 ING IN THE FUND AT THE END OF A FISCAL YEAR  SHALL  NOT  REVERT  TO  THE
 GENERAL FUND.
   3.  MONEY  IN  THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT
 AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED UNDER SECTION  SIXTY-SEVEN
 OF  THE HIGHWAY LAW, INCLUDING GRANTS TO MUNICIPALITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS
 WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. PRIORITY FUNDING  SHALL  BE  GIVEN  TO
 PROJECTS DEMONSTRATING SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
   4.  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  TRANSPORTATION SHALL ANNUALLY, NOT LATER THAN
 DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, REPORT ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE FUND  TO:  (A)  THE
 CHAIRS OF THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMIT-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11939-02-5

 S. 7951                             2
 
 TEES;  (B)  THE  CHAIRS  OF  THE  SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION
 COMMITTEES; AND (C) THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE FINANCE  AND  THE  ASSEMBLY
 WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES.
   §  2. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 67 to read as
 follows:
   § 67. POLLINATOR HIGHWAY PROGRAM. 1. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH  A
 PROGRAM  TO  PROMOTE THE CULTIVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF NATIVE FLOWERING
 PLANTS, GRASSES AND SHRUBS ON LAND BORDERING STATE HIGHWAYS AND ON OTHER
 PUBLIC LANDS. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH OBJECTIVES FOR THE  PROGRAM
 INCLUDING:  (A) INCORPORATING NATIVE PLANTINGS INTO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
 SOLUTIONS, SUCH AS RAIN GARDENS, BIO-SWALES AND PERMEABLE LANDSCAPES  TO
 REDUCE  RUNOFF,  FILTER POLLUTANTS AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY; (B) ESTAB-
 LISHING AND ENHANCING HABITATS FOR POLLINATORS, INCLUDING BEES, BUTTERF-
 LIES AND OTHER BENEFICIAL INSECTS BY PRIORITIZING PLANT  SPECIES  NATIVE
 TO  THE  REGION;  AND  (C)  UTILIZING  NATIVE VEGETATION TO IMPROVE SOIL
 HEALTH, SEQUESTER CARBON AND REDUCE  THE  NEED  FOR  EMISSIONS-INTENSIVE
 MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS MOWING AND PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS.
   2.  THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 AND MARKETS, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION  AND  RELEVANT
 ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, SHALL: (A) IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE SUITABLE
 LOCATIONS  AND AREAS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED STORMWATER MANAGE-
 MENT, REDUCED MAINTENANCE OR ENHANCED BIODIVERSITY; (B)  DEVELOP  STAND-
 ARDS FOR SELECTING AND MAINTAINING PLANT SPECIES TO ENSURE THEIR ECOLOG-
 ICAL   SUITABILITY,   RESILIENCE  AND  EFFECTIVENESS  IN  ACHIEVING  THE
 PROGRAM'S GOALS; (C) ENCOURAGE THE USE OF INNOVATIVE STORMWATER  MANAGE-
 MENT  TECHNIQUES  THAT  INTEGRATE  NATIVE VEGETATION; AND (D) COORDINATE
 WITH MUNICIPALITIES, REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS
 TO IMPLEMENT PILOT PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVES.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUPPORT THE PROGRAM'S IMPLEMENTATION BY ESTAB-
 LISHING: (A) GRANTS TO MUNICIPALITIES FOR DESIGNING AND INSTALLING GREEN
 INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS UTILIZING  NATIVE  PLANTINGS;  (B)  PARTNERSHIPS
 WITH LOCAL NURSERIES AND LANDSCAPERS TO SUPPLY NATIVE PLANTS AND SUPPORT
 JOB  CREATION;  (C)  PUBLIC-PRIVATE  PARTNERSHIPS  TO  REDUCE  COSTS AND
 ENHANCE THE PROGRAM'S OUTREACH; AND (D) IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPART-
 MENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, A VANITY LICENSE PLATE FEATURING NATIVE PLANT OR
 POLLINATOR IMAGERY, WITH THE PROCEEDS SUPPORTING  THE  PROGRAM'S  ACTIV-
 ITIES AND GRANTS TO MUNICIPALITIES.
   4. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION BY:
 (A)  DEVELOPING  AND DISSEMINATING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ABOUT THE ENVI-
 RONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF NATIVE PLANTINGS AND STORMWA-
 TER MANAGEMENT; (B) ENCOURAGING CITIZEN  INVOLVEMENT  THROUGH  VOLUNTEER
 PROGRAMS,  LOCAL  WORKSHOPS  AND MONITORING INITIATIVES; AND (C) COLLAB-
 ORATING WITH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL
 STEWARDSHIP AND AWARENESS.
   5. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH  MEASURABLE  GOALS  AND  METRICS  TO
 ASSESS  THE  PROGRAM'S  EFFECTIVENESS,  INCLUDING:  (A) THE REDUCTION IN
 STORMWATER RUNOFF AND IMPROVEMENT IN WATER  QUALITY;  (B)  INCREASES  IN
 POLLINATOR POPULATIONS AND BIODIVERSITY; (C) COST SAVINGS IN MAINTENANCE
 AND  OPERATIONS;  AND (D) ANNUAL REPORTING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE
 LEGISLATURE ON THE PROGRAM'S PROGRESS.
   6. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO CARRY  OUT
 THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION WITHIN ONE YEAR OF ITS EFFECTIVE DATE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S7951

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Actions

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Sponsored By

Shelley B. Mayer

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Actions

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7951 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments