Relates to the development and posting of a senior trail guide that identifies walking and hiking opportunities for active seniors within the state park system and along public non-motorized multi-use trails within the state.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9927
SPONSOR: O'Donnell TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law and
the environmental conservation law, in relation to the development and
posting of a senior trail guide that identifies walking and hiking
opportunities for active seniors within the state park system and along
public non-motorized multi-use trails within the state
PURPOSE GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of the bill is to create an easily accessible resource for
active seniors seeking appropriately graded walking and hiking routes on
state owned and managed lands.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends Section 3.09 of the Parks, Recreation, and
Historic Preservation Law to direct OPRHP to post on its website a
senior trail guide identifying walking and hiking opportunities for
seniors.
Section 2 of the bill amends Section 3-0301 of the Environmental Conser-
vation Law to direct the Department of Environmental Conservation to
post on its website a senior trail guide identifying walking and hiking
opportunities for seniors.
Section 3 of the bill establishes an effective date of 180 days after
the bill shall have become a law.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State offers vast recreational opportunity for active seniors
to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The State should review its trail
inventory to curate a listing of walking and hiking routes appropriate
for senior fitness and enjoyment.
The number of Americans age 65 and over rose nearly 23% between 2011 and
2017 to 50.9 million, and is projected to expand another 44% to 73.1
million by 2030. This population growth is matched by rapidly escalating
healthcare costs but also scientific evidence demonstrating a positive
correlation between physical activity and a wide breadth of healthy
outcomes.
Active lifestyles, particularly among seniors, have shown tremendous
preventative value in reducing impacts of well-studied, societal
ailments like heart disease and diabetes, however a maintenance exercise
regimen can vastly improve quality of life in many other ways. Exercise
produces endorphins, which improve mood and promote healthy sleep
patterns; exercise increases cognitive function and helps stave off
dementia; and exercise increases balance, coordination and strength,
which helps avoid falls (and resulting rehabilitation).
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation recently
completed its Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, or SCORP,
which similarly found New York's rising senior population, due largely
to longer life expectancy and the aging of the baby boomer generation,
will result in a 30% increase in the number of New York State residents
over the age of 65 by the year 2030. SCORP user surveys also found that
hiking was the most popular activity category among all respondents,
especially those age 65-85 (86.2%).
NYS already incentivizes senior residents to visit our State Park hold-
ings through the Golden Parks Pass, which offers free weekday access to
New York State residents age 62 or older.
DEC currently posts seasonal hiking recommendations as well as non-high
peak hiking opportunities in the Adirondacks, while OPRHP provides links
to federal, state and local hiking opportunities. Massachusetts offers
a guide identifying heart healthy trails that each measure from one to
two miles in length and are of easy to moderate difficulty. Similarly,
AARP has identified senior hiking opportunities within the national park
system.
This bill will provide seniors with an easily accessible resource to
identify appropriate routes and locations within New York State for
exercise and enjoyment of our outdoor resources.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred and eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9927
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2020
___________
Introduced by M. of A. O'DONNELL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development
AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law and
the environmental conservation law, in relation to the development and
posting of a senior trail guide that identifies walking and hiking
opportunities for active seniors within the state park system and
along public non-motorized multi-use trails within the state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 3.09 of the parks, recreation and historic preser-
2 vation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 24 to read as follows:
3 24. Shall develop and post on its website a senior trail guide that
4 identifies walking and hiking opportunities for active seniors within
5 the state park system and along public non-motorized multi-use trails
6 within the state. Such guide shall include, but not be limited to: iden-
7 tification of low impact trails and routes appropriately accessible for
8 patrons aged sixty-two years and older; listing of any impediments to
9 mobility along such identified trails or routes such as steep inclines,
10 declines, or uneven terrain; and identification of corresponding activ-
11 ities or amenities along or in close proximity to such trails and routes
12 such as the location of birding areas or geologically or historically
13 significant sites. The office shall update the senior trail guide from
14 time to time.
15 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 3-0301 of the environmental conservation
16 law is amended by adding a new paragraph aa to read as follows:
17 aa. Shall develop and post on its website a senior trail guide that
18 identifies walking and hiking opportunities for active seniors within
19 lands managed by the department. Such guide shall include, but not be
20 limited to: identification of low impact trails and routes appropriately
21 accessible for patrons aged sixty-two years and older; listing of any
22 impediments to mobility along such identified trails or routes such as
23 steep inclines, declines, or uneven terrain; and identification of
24 corresponding activities or amenities along or in close proximity to
25 such trails and routes such as the location of birding areas or geologi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14246-02-9
A. 9927 2
1 cally or historically significant sites. The department shall update the
2 senior trail guide from time to time.
3 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
4 it shall have become a law.
