Add §§99-z & 209-ggg, Gen Muni L; add §1527-b, Ed L
 
Permits municipal corporations, fire districts, volunteer fire companies, police departments and school districts to sell and display symbols of hope in support of law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, the military, border patrol, firefighters, conservation officers and others.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A5581
SPONSOR: Brabenec
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law and the education law, in
relation to symbols of hope
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To ensure that municipalities, fire districts, volunteer fire companies,
police departments, and school districts are able to display "symbols of
hope" including a thin blue line in support of law enforcement, a thin
red line in support of the fire service, a thin gray line in support of
corrections officers, a thin white line in support of EMS professionals,
a thin purple line in support of security professionals, a thin yellow
line in support of dispatchers, and a. thin green line in support of
military and conservation.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new section 99-x to the general municipal law to permit
municipal corporations to sell or display symbols of hope or any similar
image, or tangible personal property, inscribed with such image. Section
1 further describes what a "symbol of hope" is defined as. Section 2
adds a new section 209-gg to the general municipal law to permit.a fire
district, volunteer fire company, or police department to sell or
display any symbols of hope or any similar image, or tangible personal
property, inscribed with such image.
Section 2 further describes what a "symbol of hope" is defined as.
Section 3 adds a new section 152.7-a to the education law to permit a
school district to sell or display any symbols of hope or any similar
image, or tangible personal property, inscribed with such image.
Section 3 further describes what a "symbol of hope" is defined as.
Section 4 sets forth an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Over the past several years, certain symbols, which are typically
affixed to a flag, have been established to show support for first
responders and associated personnel. The "thin blue line" has tradi-
tionally been associated with supporting law enforcement personnel and a
"thin red line" has traditionally been associated with supporting the
fire service. A number of other color-associated lines have been estab-
lished to associate with supporting corrections officers, EMS profes-
sionals, security professionals, the military, dispatchers, and conser-
vation officers. The supporters of those individuals, and the groups
themselves, should be able to freely show their support by displaying
these symbols of hope.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5581
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 16, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BRABENEC -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law and the education law, in
relation to symbols of hope
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new
2 section 99-z to read as follows:
3 § 99-z. Symbols of hope. A municipal corporation shall be permitted
4 to sell or display symbols of hope or any similar image, or tangible
5 personal property, inscribed with such an image. For purposes of this
6 section, the term "symbols of hope" shall include, but not be limited
7 to, a thin blue line in support of law enforcement, a thin red line in
8 support of the fire service, a thin gray line in support of corrections
9 officers, a thin white line in support of emergency medical profes-
10 sionals, a thin purple line in support of security professionals, a thin
11 yellow line in support of dispatchers, and a thin green line in support
12 of military, border patrol and conservation officers.
13 § 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section
14 209-ggg to read as follows:
15 § 209-ggg. Symbols of hope. A fire district, volunteer fire company,
16 or police department shall be permitted to sell or display any symbols
17 of hope or any similar image, or tangible personal property, inscribed
18 with such an image. For purposes of this section, the term "symbols of
19 hope" shall include, but not be limited to, a thin blue line in support
20 of law enforcement, a thin red line in support of the fire service, a
21 thin gray line in support of corrections officers, a thin white line in
22 support of emergency medical professionals, a thin purple line in
23 support of security professionals, a thin yellow line in support of
24 dispatchers, and a thin green line in support of military, border patrol
25 and conservation officers.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08774-01-3
A. 5581 2
1 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 1527-b to
2 read as follows:
3 § 1527-b. Symbols of hope. A school district shall be permitted to
4 sell or display any symbols of hope or any similar image, or tangible
5 personal property, inscribed with such an image. For purposes of this
6 section, the term "symbols of hope" shall include, but not be limited
7 to, a thin blue line in support of law enforcement, a thin red line in
8 support of the fire service, a thin gray line in support of corrections
9 officers, a thin white line in support of emergency medical profes-
10 sionals, a thin purple line in support of security professionals, a thin
11 yellow line in support of dispatchers, and a thin green line in support
12 of military, border patrol and conservation officers.
13 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.