Senate Bill S9872

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9872
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 9, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic  Devel-
   opment and Small Business
 
 AN  ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish-
   ing the central New York passport program to promote regional tourism,
   economic development, and cultural engagement across the  central  New
   York region

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The economic development law is amended  by  adding  a  new
 article 5-G to read as follows:
                                 ARTICLE 5-G
                     CENTRAL NEW YORK PASSPORT PROGRAM
 SECTION 181-J. SHORT TITLE.
         181-K. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.
         181-L. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK PASSPORT PROGRAM.
   §  181-J. SHORT TITLE. THIS ACT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE
 "CENTRAL NEW YORK PASSPORT ACT".
   § 181-K. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. THE LEGISLATURE  FINDS  THAT
 THE CENTRAL NEW YORK REGION--ENCOMPASSING THE CITIES OF SYRACUSE, UTICA,
 ROME,  AND  COOPERSTOWN,  AND  THE  SURROUNDING TOWNS AND VILLAGES ALONG
 ROUTES 20 AND 90--POSSESSES A WEALTH  OF  CULTURAL,  ARTISTIC,  AGRICUL-
 TURAL, AND RECREATIONAL ASSETS.
   DESPITE  THE  STRENGTH OF THESE ATTRACTIONS, INCLUDING THE BOILERMAKER
 ROAD RACE, THE GLIMMERGLASS OPERA FESTIVAL, THE  THEATER  AT  WOODSHILL,
 LOCAL  FARMERS  MARKETS,  ART GALLERIES, MUSEUMS, MUSIC VENUES, SPORTING
 EVENTS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, THE  REGION  LACKS  AN  INTEGRATED
 MECHANISM  FOR CROSS-PROMOTION, COORDINATED EVENT AWARENESS, AND VISITOR
 RETENTION.
   IT IS THEREFORE THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO ESTABLISH A  REGIONAL
 INITIATIVE  TO PROMOTE THE COLLECTIVE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL INTERESTS OF
 CENTRAL NEW YORK MUNICIPALITIES, SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES,  AND  ENHANCE
 TOURISM  THROUGH  A  UNIFIED  MOBILE PLATFORM--KNOWN AS THE "CENTRAL NEW
 YORK PASSPORT".
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15526-01-6
 S. 9872                             2
 
   § 181-L. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK  PASSPORT  PROGRAM.  1.
 THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A "CENTRAL NEW YORK PASS-
 PORT" PROMOTION PROGRAM. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE  OF  THIS
 ARTICLE,  THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT
 AND THE NEW YORK STATE TOURISM ADVISORY COUNCIL, SHALL DEVELOP, OPERATE,
 AND  MAINTAIN  A  MOBILE  APPLICATION  AND WEB-BASED PLATFORM TO PROMOTE
 TOURISM IN CENTRAL NEW YORK THAT:
   (A) PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE CALENDAR OF REGIONAL EVENTS, ATTRACTIONS,
 AND ACTIVITIES IN CENTRAL NEW YORK;
   (B) INTEGRATES TIMETABLES, MAPS, AND TRAVEL ITINERARIES  FOR  VISITORS
 TO CENTRAL NEW YORK;
   (C) ENABLES CROSS-PROMOTIONAL TICKETING DEALS, DISCOUNTS, AND SPONSOR-
 SHIPS  AMONG  PARTICIPATING VENUES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO RESTAU-
 RANTS, FARMERS MARKETS, LOCAL MUSEUMS, THEATERS,  ART  GALLERIES,  MOVIE
 THEATERS, BREWERIES, WINERIES, SPORTING EVENTS, AND MUSIC VENUES;
   (D)  PROMOTES  SEASONAL FESTIVALS AND REGIONAL TOURISM CORRIDORS ALONG
 NEW YORK STATE ROUTES TWENTY AND NINETY;
   (E) ALLOWS USERS TO CREATE CUSTOMIZED "PASSPORTS"  COLLECTING  STAMPS,
 DIGITAL REWARDS, OR POINTS FOR VISITING PARTICIPATING SITES; AND
   (F)  ENCOURAGES  COMMUNITY  ENGAGEMENT  AND  LOCAL COMMERCE BY LINKING
 SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS TO REGIONAL EVENT TRAFFIC.
   2. MUNICIPALITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS  ELIGIBLE  FOR  INCLUSION  IN  THE
 CENTRAL  NEW YORK PASSPORT PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
 THOSE WITHIN: (A) ONEIDA, MADISON, ONONDAGA, AND  OTSEGO  COUNTIES;  (B)
 THE  CITIES  AND TOWNS OF SYRACUSE, UTICA, ROME, CAZENOVIA, SKANEATELES,
 AND COOPERSTOWN; AND (C) ADJACENT VILLAGES AND TOWNSHIPS ALONG  THE  NEW
 YORK  STATE  ROUTE  TWENTY  CORRIDOR AND THE NEW YORK STATE ROUTE NINETY
 CORRIDOR.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENTER INTO  MEMORANDA  OF  UNDERSTANDING  WITH
 MUNICIPAL  GOVERNMENTS,  TOURISM BOARDS, AND PARTICIPATING PRIVATE ENTI-
 TIES ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK PASSPORT PROGRAM  TO
 ENSURE  EQUITABLE  REPRESENTATION  AND PROMOTIONAL ACCESS. PARTICIPATION
 SHALL BE VOLUNTARY, AND INCENTIVES  MAY  BE  OFFERED  THROUGH  MARKETING
 GRANTS OR SHARED ADVERTISING REVENUE.
   4.  THE  COMMISSIONER MAY DESIGNATE A REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD COMPOSED
 OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM COUNTY TOURISM OFFICES, ARTS COUNCILS,  CHAMBERS
 OF COMMERCE, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
   5. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR STATE TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVEL-
 OPMENT  GRANTS,  AND MAY RECEIVE PUBLIC-PRIVATE SPONSORSHIPS AND FEDERAL
 MATCHING FUNDS WHERE APPLICABLE. THE DEPARTMENT MAY CONTRACT WITH  TECH-
 NOLOGY  VENDORS  OR LOCAL UNIVERSITIES FOR APP DEVELOPMENT, DATA MANAGE-
 MENT, AND PLATFORM MAINTENANCE.
   6. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COORDINATE  A  REGIONAL  LAUNCH  CAMPAIGN,  IN
 PARTNERSHIP WITH THE "I LOVE NY" BRAND AND PARTICIPATING MUNICIPALITIES,
 WHICH  SHALL PRIORITIZE DIGITAL INCLUSION AND ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY FOR
 BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS SHALL  EMPHASIZE  THE
 CENTRAL  NEW  YORK  PASSPORT  AS  A  MEANS OF DISCOVERING LOCAL CULTURE,
 SUPPORTING ENDEMIC SMALL  BUSINESSES,  AND  CONNECTING  VISITORS  ACROSS
 CENTRAL NEW YORK'S ARTS, AGRICULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL SECTORS.
   7.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE PROGRAM TO
 THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST  OF
 EACH YEAR. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, INFORMATION
 ON PROGRAM PARTICIPATION RATES, TOURISM REVENUE IMPACT, AND USER ENGAGE-
 MENT.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.