Allows veterans with a service-connected disability or Purple Heart free use of parks and campsites; provides that such disability shall be 10 percent service-connected or greater.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4181
SPONSOR: Manktelow TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to allowing veterans with a service-connected disability or
Purple Heart free use of parks and campsites
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To provide free use of state parks and campsites for disabled veterans
and recipients of the Purple Heart.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and historic
preservation,law to require that veterans with a ten percent or greater
service-connected disability and recipients of the Purple Heart are
permitted to use state campsites, parks and other public places of
recreation. free of charge.
Section 2 provides the effective date. Click here to enter text.
JUSTIFICATION:
The Purple Heart is awarded to service members of the US military who
were killed or wounded by enemy action. Providing free access to state
parks and campsites for disabled veterans and those wounded in service
to our nation is one small way that we can acknowledge and show appreci-
ation for the sacrifices they have made. This bill would ensure that
disabled veterans and those wounded in action have the ability to enjoy
all the natural beauty and recreational opportunities that New York
State parks have to offer.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2018: A.10965-Referred to Veterans' Affairs;
2019/20: A.753-Referred to Veterans' Affairs;
2021/22: A.3584- Reported referred to Ways and Means
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4181
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 10, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MANKTELOW -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to allowing veterans with a service-connected disability or
Purple Heart free use of parks and campsites
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and historic preser-
2 vation law, as amended by chapter 649 of the laws of 1977, is amended to
3 read as follows:
4 § 13.19 Free use of parks and campsites. Notwithstanding the
5 provisions of any other law, any person who is blind, non-ambulatory, or
6 an amputee or any veteran of the wars of the United States, who has at
7 any time been awarded by the federal government an allowance towards the
8 purchase of an automobile or is eligible for such an award, or any
9 veteran of the wars of the United States with a ten percent or greater
10 service-connected disability as certified by the United States veterans'
11 administration, or any recipient of the Purple Heart shall be permitted
12 to use any of the public campsites, parks and other public places of
13 recreation in this state, upon the same terms and conditions as apply to
14 the general public, but without the payment of any fees or other charges
15 for the use of such campsites, parks and other public places of recre-
16 ation.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06247-01-3
