STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10496
IN SENATE
May 15, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. BOTTCHER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
Parks and Recreation
AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to granting certain first responders free use of state parks
and campsites
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "heroes park pass act".
3 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and
4 historic preservation law, as amended by chapter 616 of the laws of
5 2023, is amended to read as follows:
6 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, any person who is:
7 blind, non-ambulatory, or an amputee [or any]; a veteran or member of a
8 Gold Star family; or a resident of New York state who is a retired first
9 responder that served a county, town, city, village or the state, shall
10 be permitted to use any of the public campsites, parks and other public
11 places of recreation in this state, upon the same terms and conditions
12 as apply to the general public, but without the payment of any fees or
13 other charges for the use of such campsites, parks and other public
14 places of recreation.
15 § 3. Subdivision 2 of section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and
16 historic preservation law is amended by chapter 103 of the laws of 2024,
17 is amended to read as follows
18 2. For the purposes of this section (a) "veteran" shall mean a resi-
19 dent of this state who is: (i) a veteran as such term is defined in
20 section one of the veterans' services law; or (ii) a person who has
21 served on active duty for the state as a member of the state organized
22 militia as defined in subdivision nine of section one of the military
23 law and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other
24 than dishonorable; or (iii) a person who has served on active duty in
25 the uniformed services of the United States or on active duty for the
26 state as a member of the organized militia and has a qualifying condi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13661-04-6
S. 10496 2
1 tion, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has
2 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
3 service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of
4 the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad
5 conduct or dishonorable from such service; [and]
6 (b) "member of a Gold Star family" shall mean a resident of this state
7 who is a gold star parent as defined in section twenty-six of the veter-
8 ans' services law, the spouse or domestic partner, or the biological,
9 step, or legally adopted minor child of a veteran whose death qualified
10 the parent for an annuity[.]; and
11 (c) "first responder" shall mean a firefighter, law enforcement offi-
12 cer, paramedic, emergency medical technician, emergency services
13 dispatcher, or other individual, whether compensated or not who, in the
14 course of their professional or volunteer duties, responds to fire,
15 medical, hazardous material, or other similar emergencies.
16 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
