Renames the New York state musical instrument revolving fund as the New York state music grant fund; broadens the use of such funds to be available as grants to not-for-profit symphony orchestras and/or other not-for-profit musical entities incorporated in the state and organized for the purpose of the presentation of performing arts and education in the performing arts for the benefit of the public and which have been approved pursuant to guidelines established by the council.
Summary
S08255 renames the New York state musical instrument revolving fund as the New York state music grant fund. It also changes the fund’s purpose from financing the loan, lease, and purchase of musical instruments and related equipment to providing grants to eligible not-for-profit symphony orchestras and other not-for-profit musical entities incorporated in New York and organized to present performing arts for the public. The bill keeps the fund under the custody of the state comptroller and continues to place administration with the New York State Council on the Arts, subject to its guidelines and budget approval requirements.
The bill preserves the existing cap on state appropriations to the fund at $500,000 and maintains the requirement that monies be kept separate and used only for the fund’s purposes. It also retains the provision that the council may receive grants, gifts, or bequests for the fund, and that disbursements must be made on the comptroller’s audit and warrant based on vouchers certified by the council. By removing the older revolving-loan structure and replacing it with a grant model, the bill shifts the fund’s legal framework toward direct support for arts organizations rather than asset financing.
Impact
The bill amends section 97-v of the state finance law by updating the fund’s name, eligible uses, and administrative structure. It eliminates statutory language tied to loans, leases, installment sales, repossession, default procedures, and related financing mechanics for musical instruments and equipment, and replaces that framework with grant authority for qualifying nonprofit musical organizations. The practical effect is to broaden and modernize the fund’s use while narrowing it to grantmaking for arts organizations approved by the Council on the Arts.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received strong support and little to no opposition. It passed the Senate Rules Committee 21-0 and the Senate floor 59-0, indicating broad bipartisan agreement. The lack of recorded committee transcript discussion suggests the measure was not especially controversial and was viewed as a straightforward update to an existing arts funding program.
Contention
No major points of contention are reflected in the available record. The principal policy change is the shift from a revolving fund for instrument financing to a grant fund for nonprofit symphony orchestras and other musical entities, but the unanimous votes suggest that any concerns about changing the funding mechanism, eligibility, or administrative discretion were not significant enough to generate opposition. The bill was introduced at the request of the New York State Council on the Arts, which also suggests agency support for the change.
Extends provisions relating to establishing the New York city musical and theatrical production tax credit and establishing the New York state council on the arts cultural program fund; relates to the New York city musical and theatrical production tax credit.
Enacts the visiting artists act to establish a grant pilot program for musicians to perform at schools in the state which receive funding pursuant to title one of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Enacts the visiting artists act to establish a grant pilot program for musicians to perform at schools in the state which receive funding pursuant to title one of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Extends provisions relating to establishing the New York city musical and theatrical production tax credit and establishing the New York state council on the arts cultural program fund; relates to the New York city musical and theatrical production tax credit.
Requires that an organization applying for grant funding shall provide to arts agencies a certification that it will enter into a labor peace agreement with at least one bona fide labor organization either where such bona fide labor organization is actively representing employees providing services covered by the organization seeking such grant funding or upon notice by a bona fide labor organization that is attempting to represent employees who will provide services to the organization seeking such grant funding; relates to prevailing wage requirements for not-for-profit theaters and payment of their employees on productions funded by the New York state council on the arts or arts agencies of localities.
Amends the imposition of sales tax to dramatic or musical arts performances, or live circus performances, or motion picture theaters, where such admission charge is not more than one thousand dollars.
Amends the imposition of sales tax to dramatic or musical arts performances, or live circus performances, or motion picture theaters, where such admission charge is not more than one thousand dollars.
Establishes a four-day workweek pilot program for state employees; requires the division of the budget and the state department of civil service to identify state agencies or other jobs in the performance of any function of state government for which a four-day workweek is feasible and beneficial for at least sixty percent of state employees employed in such agency or job in the performance of such function of state government, and to implement a four-day workweek for such state employees.