STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8049
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, the general municipal law and the
administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring
universally accessible playgrounds in New York city and state parks
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section
2 79-r to read as follows:
3 § 79-r. Universally accessible playground equipment. 1. Pursuant to
4 section forty of this chapter, all playgrounds in state parks shall be
5 universally accessible. To the extent practicable, such accessible play-
6 ground equipment shall be incorporated into the layout of the existing
7 playground or proposed playground plan.
8 2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have
9 the following meanings:
10 (a) "Disability" shall have the same meaning as defined in section two
11 hundred ninety-two of the executive law.
12 (b) "Universally accessible" shall mean that children with disabili-
13 ties can use their typical means of mobility to access a minimum of
14 seventy percent of play activities.
15 § 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 248
16 to read as follows:
17 § 248. Universally accessible playground equipment. 1. All municipal
18 playgrounds and neighborhood recreation centers shall be universally
19 accessible. To the extent practicable, such accessible playground equip-
20 ment shall be incorporated into the layout of the existing playground or
21 proposed playground plan.
22 2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have
23 the following meanings:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13137-01-5
S. 8049 2
1 (a) "Disability" shall have the same meaning as defined in section two
2 hundred ninety-two of the executive law.
3 (b) "Universally accessible" shall mean that children with disabili-
4 ties can use their typical means of mobility to access a minimum of
5 seventy percent of play activities.
6 § 3. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by
7 adding a new section 18-166 to read as follows:
8 § 18-166 Universally accessible playground equipment. 1. All play-
9 grounds in New York city parks shall be universally accessible. To the
10 extent practicable, such accessible playground equipment shall be incor-
11 porated into the layout of the existing playground or proposed play-
12 ground plan.
13 2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have
14 the following meanings:
15 (a) "Disability" shall have the same meaning as defined in section two
16 hundred ninety-two of the executive law.
17 (b) "Universally accessible" shall mean that children with disabili-
18 ties can use their typical means of mobility to access a minimum of
19 seventy percent of play activities.
20 § 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
21 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
22 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
23 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
24 on or before such effective date.
