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Senate Bill S9732

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Authorizes the board of trustees of any library chartered by the regents of the state of New York to develop, lease, or use public library spaces for the purposes of constructing affordable, mixed-use housing

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Libraries Committee

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2025-S9732 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Libraries
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §260, Ed L

2025-S9732 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Permits libraries occupying or possessing public land to develop, lease, or use such property for the purposes of constructing affordable, mixed-use housing; provides that such use aligns with libraries' educational purposes, represents a valid exercise of the trustees' power, and is in the best interests of the libraries.

2025-S9732 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9732
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 2, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BYNOE  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Libraries
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing  a  right
   for  the  board of trustees of any library chartered by the regents of
   the state of New York to develop, lease, or use public library  spaces
   for the purposes of constructing affordable, mixed-use housing

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 260 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 13 to read as follows:
   13. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF STATE  OR  LOCAL  LAW,  RULE,  OR
 REGULATION  TO  THE CONTRARY, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ANY LIBRARY CHAR-
 TERED BY THE REGENTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, PURSUANT TO  SECTION  TWO
 HUNDRED  SIXTEEN  OF  THIS  ARTICLE,  MAY  DEVELOP, LEASE, OR USE PUBLIC
 LIBRARY SPACES FOR THE PURPOSES OF  CONSTRUCTING  AFFORDABLE,  MIXED-USE
 HOUSING.  SUCH ACTIVITY IS HEREBY DECLARED TO SERVE A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND
 BENEFIT; PROVIDED THAT THE ACTIVITY MAINTAINS THE  LIBRARIES'  ABILITIES
 TO  PERFORM  THEIR  CHARTERED  FUNCTIONS,  INCLUDING  THEIR  EDUCATIONAL
 PURPOSES.  SUCH ACTIVITY SHALL BE DEEMED A VALID EXERCISE OF  THE  TRUS-
 TEES'  POWER AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE LIBRARIES, CONSISTENT WITH
 THE TRUSTEES' DUTIES OF CARE, LOYALTY, AND OBEDIENCE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15461-01-6

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