New York State Assembly

 
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A08094 Summary:

A08094 Actions:

A08094 Committee Votes:

Committee:VETERANS' AFFAIRS   Chair:Barrett      
DATE:06/04/2019AYE/NAY:18/0  Action: Favorable refer to committee Rules        
Barrett
Aye
Morinello
Aye
Nolan
Aye
Hawley
Aye
Cusick
Aye
McDonough
Aye
Miller
Excused
Ashby
Aye
Santabarbara
Aye
Manktelow
Aye
Blake
Aye
Hunter
Aye
Mosley
Aye
D'Urso
Aye
Pheffer Amato
Aye
Wallace
Aye
Stern
Aye
Jones
Aye
Buttenschon
Aye

Committee:RULES   Chair:Gottfried      
DATE:06/12/2019AYE/NAY:27/0  Action: Favorable         
Heastie
Excused
Kolb
Aye
Gottfried
Aye
Crouch
Aye
Lentol
Aye
Finch
Aye
Gantt
Excused
Barclay
Aye
Nolan
Aye
Raia
Aye
Weinstein
Aye
Hawley
Aye
Ortiz
Aye
Giglio
Aye
Pretlow
Aye
Malliotakis
Aye
Cook
Aye
Glick
Aye
Aubry
Aye
Englebright
Aye
Dinowitz
Aye
Colton
Aye
Magnarelli
Aye
Perry
Aye
Paulin
Absent
Titus
Excused
Peoples-Stokes
Aye
Benedetto
Aye
Lavine
Aye
Lupardo
Aye
Zebrowski
Aye

A08094 Floor Votes:

A08094 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         8094--A
                                                                Cal. No. 311
 
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                      May 31, 2019
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M. of A. BARRETT, WALLACE, D'URSO, BLAKE, CUSICK, ASHBY,
          SANTABARBARA, GRIFFIN -- read once and referred to  the  Committee  on
          Veterans'  Affairs  -- ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered
          reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading

        AN ACT requiring the division of veterans'  services  to  review  issues
          relating  to  veterans'  abilities  to  access  state parks, lands and
          facilities; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expi-
          ration thereof
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "outdoor Rx
     2  act".
     3    § 2. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature hereby finds and
     4  declares  that  protecting the physical, mental and behavioral health of
     5  veterans is critical to ensure successful re-entry into  civilian  life.
     6  Studies  have shown that time outdoors can be a valuable adjunct therapy
     7  in addition to more traditional health care, while also  reducing  reli-
     8  ance  on prescription medication. The therapeutic benefits of time spent
     9  outdoors is clinically proven  and  is  known  to  help  reduce  stress,
    10  improve concentration, and promote overall well-being, both physical and
    11  mental.  Outdoor-based  therapeutic programs hold particular promise for
    12  people suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress  Disorder,  Military  Sexual
    13  Trauma,  Traumatic  Brain  Injury,  and Substance Use Disorders. Outdoor
    14  programs including adventure therapy, wilderness therapy,  horticultural
    15  therapy,  walk-and-talk  therapy,  and  other nature-based programs, are
    16  currently being used by mental health professionals  and  are  shown  to
    17  have  benefits  including reduction of stress, restoration of attention,
    18  and an improved sense of well-being. New York state is home  to  natural
    19  beauty from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, and has a significant
    20  amount  of  open  space,  including  the  Adirondack and Catskill parks.
    21  Recognizing the healing benefits of outdoor-based  therapeutic  programs
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13082-05-9
        A. 8094--A                          2
 
     1  to  residents of the state, particularly veterans and individuals recov-
     2  ering from substance abuse or a physical or mental trauma, the  legisla-
     3  ture supports the establishment of an outdoor Rx act.
     4    §  3.  1. The director of the division of veterans' services shall, in
     5  consultation with the office of parks, recreation and historic preserva-
     6  tion, the department of environmental conservation,  the  department  of
     7  health, and the office of mental health, review:
     8    a.  barriers  that  exist to provide veterans with increased access to
     9  state lands and opportunities for  medical  treatment  and  nature-based
    10  therapy  and programming, including barriers to transportation, handicap
    11  accessibility, cultural barriers, mental health stigmas,  public  aware-
    12  ness of state outdoor resources, lack of experience in the outdoors, and
    13  funding for public and private programs;
    14    b.  current  state  policies  regarding  free and discounted access to
    15  state parks, lands, and recreational facilities  by  veterans,  service-
    16  connected disabled veterans, gold star families, and other military-con-
    17  nected individuals;
    18    c.  opportunities  to  formalize  coordination between the division of
    19  veterans' services, other  state  agencies,  and  partner  organizations
    20  regarding  the use of public lands or other outdoor spaces to facilitate
    21  access, medical treatment and nature-based therapy for veterans;
    22    d. state lands, based on veterans'  demographics  including,  but  not
    23  limited  to,  service-connected disabled veterans, that should be prior-
    24  itized for access;
    25    e. recommendations, following consultation with appropriate  veterans'
    26  outdoor  recreation groups, to reduce barriers and better facilitate the
    27  use of state owned and managed  lands  for  access,  preventative  care,
    28  medical treatment, and nature-based therapy; and
    29    f.  estimated costs of implementing such recommendations and expanding
    30  access/benefits, as well as potential funding sources,  including  state
    31  funding and public-private partnership opportunities.
    32    2.  Following  such review, which shall be completed no later than six
    33  months from the effective date of this act, the  division  of  veterans'
    34  services  shall submit findings to the governor, the temporary president
    35  of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader  of  the
    36  senate,  the  minority leader of the assembly, the chair of the assembly
    37  committee on veterans' affairs, and the chair of the senate committee on
    38  veterans, homeland security, and military affairs.    Information  shall
    39  also be posted in a timely manner on the division of veterans' services'
    40  website  and  a  link  to  such  document shall also be available on the
    41  websites of the office of parks, recreation  and  historic  preservation
    42  and the department of environmental conservation.
    43    §  4.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
    44  deemed repealed December 31, 2022.