NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8275A
SPONSOR: Kelles TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to the use of pollinator
friendly plant species in medians along the highways of the state
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill amends the highway law to encourage the use of medians along
state highways and other roadways as pollinator friendly zones. New
policies and procedures will encourage the use of native plants that are
beneficial to pollinators and will improve their habitat.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends the highway law to create pollinator friendly medians.
Requires the commissioner, in consultation with the department of envi-
ronmental conservation, to develop policies and procedures to use native
pollinator friendly plant species in medians along highways; to develop
mowing standards that will reduce, where consistent with public safety,
the amount of highway median that is mowed; and to provide technical
assistance for political subdivisions of the state to utilize native
plant species that are pollinator friendly on medians within their boun-
daries.
Section 2: effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Many species of pollinators are threatened because of lost habitats and
the use of pesticides. One of the most effective ways to support the
many varieties of pollinators responsible for the reproduction of flow-
ering plants and for pollinating billions of dollars in agricultural
crops each year is to encourage pollinator friendly planting. Gardens
are one of the most typical sources of pollinator friendly planting in
cities, but these gardens are not sufficient alone to provide food and
habitats for many species. New York's state and local highway system
encompasses over 110,000 miles of roadway and bridges. Many of these
highways have medians. With the right planting of native species and
mowing practices that allow some portion of the medians to become wild,
these highway medians can become pollinator friendly areas that will
expand habitats for pollinators while simultaneously supporting natural
beauty throughout the state.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019-2020 - S.7008 (May) Referred to Transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after becoming law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8275--A
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
August 25, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KELLES, BURDICK, STERN, FAHY, MAGNARELLI, GOTT-
FRIED, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transporta-
tion -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in accordance
with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to the use of pollinator
friendly plant species in medians along the highways of the state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 19-a to
2 read as follows:
3 § 19-a. Pollinator friendly plant species; medians. 1. The commis-
4 sioner shall, in cooperation with the department of environmental
5 conservation, develop policies and procedures to encourage the use of
6 native plant species that are pollinator friendly in medians along high-
7 ways under the jurisdiction of the department and to encourage and
8 provide technical assistance to counties, cities, towns and villages in
9 the use of native plant species that are pollinator friendly in medians
10 along highways under the respective jurisdiction of such counties,
11 cities, towns and villages.
12 2. The commissioner shall develop policies and procedures for mowing
13 medians located along highways on the state system of highways that
14 will, wherever feasible and consistent with standards of safety for
15 motor vehicle operators, cyclists, and pedestrians, reduce the amount of
16 area within such highway medians that is mowed.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
18 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
19 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
20 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
21 completed on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04739-04-2
