New York Assembly Bill A01765

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Allows certain non-ambulatory persons who are permanently disabled and require the use of a wheelchair to have free use of any of the public campsites, parks and other public places of recreation in this state.

Summary

A01765 amends New York’s parks, recreation and historic preservation law to expand the state’s free-use access provisions for public campsites, parks, and other public recreation areas. Under current law, the section defines “veteran” and “member of a Gold Star family” for purposes of the free-use benefit. This bill adds a new definition of “non-ambulatory” to mean a person who is permanently disabled and requires the use of a wheelchair to access park facilities, or who cannot move about in a field, wood, or other natural area without mechanical assistance. By adding this definition, the bill is intended to make eligible certain permanently disabled wheelchair users for free use of public campsites, parks, and other public places of recreation in New York State. The measure takes effect immediately and would operate as an amendment to the existing statutory framework governing free access to state recreational facilities. It does not appear to change the underlying structure of the program beyond broadening the class of people who may qualify. The bill’s impact on state law is to extend a fee waiver or free-entry benefit beyond veterans and Gold Star family members to a new category of disabled individuals. In practical terms, it would affect the Department of Environmental Conservation and other state entities that manage public recreation areas by requiring them to recognize this new eligibility category and provide free access where the statute applies. There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history provided, so the overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate or floor action. Based on the bill text and caption alone, the proposal appears supportive of disability access and inclusion, with no explicit opposition documented in the available materials. No specific points of contention are identified in the provided record. Potential issues that could arise in implementation include how agencies verify permanent disability, wheelchair use, or inability to navigate natural areas without mechanical assistance, but those concerns are not discussed in the supplied context.

Impact

The bill would amend section 13.19 of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law to add a new eligibility definition for “non-ambulatory” persons who are permanently disabled and require a wheelchair or other mechanical assistance. This would expand the existing free-use program for public campsites, parks, and other public recreation areas to include that group, alongside the current categories of veterans and Gold Star family members. State agencies that administer these facilities would need to apply the new definition when granting free access.

Sentiment

No committee discussion or vote record was provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition from legislative debate. The bill’s purpose is clearly pro-access and disability-inclusive, suggesting a generally favorable policy orientation, but the available materials do not show whether it has advanced or faced resistance.

Contention

The provided record does not identify any explicit controversy. The main possible implementation questions are administrative rather than ideological: how to define and verify permanent disability, wheelchair dependence, or inability to traverse natural areas without mechanical assistance, and how those determinations would be made consistently across state recreation sites.