Enacts the New York State bicycle tourism promotion act; authorizes the issuance of grants for the purchase of equipment and operation of a bicycle tourism kiosk; authorizes the establishment of up to fifteen such kiosks.

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S2702A-2011 Actions

• Jan 25, 2012: PRINT NUMBER 2702A
• Jan 25, 2012: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS
• Jan 28, 2011: REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS

S2702A-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S2702A               REVISED 1/26/12

TITLE  OF  BILL:    An  act  to amend the economic development law, in
relation to creating the New York State bicycle tourism promotion act

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this bill is to create the New  York  Bicycle
Tourism  Promotion  Act,  which  will  allow  for the establishment of
bicycle kiosks in local communities designed for rental to tourists.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:  Section 1 of the bill  creates  the  New  York
Tourism  Promotion Act as a new Article 21 in the Economic Development
Law as follows:

�500 titles the act the New York Bicycle Tourism Promotion Act;

�501 provides for the legislative intent;

�502 defines the term "bicycle tourism kiosk";

�503 provides for the administration of the program by the  Department
of  Economic Development, and allows the Department to contract with a
statewide  not-for-profit  for  the  purposes   of   identifying   and
establishing bicycle kiosks;

�504  provides  for  grants  to  open and operate bicycle kiosk, up to
$20,000; and,

�505 requires that the Department of Economic Development shall review
the program six months after awarding grants.

Section 2 of the bill provide for an immediate effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:   Bicycle tourism continues to  increase  in  New  York
State  on  an  annual  basis. Initiatives such as the annual bike trek
along the Erie Canal have grown to capacity in the past five years. As
more  and  more  travelers  seek  to  actively  participate  in  their
vacations,  and  localized heritage tourism destinations increase, the
need to accommodate these travelers is essential.

This legislation will provide a mechanism for the State to collaborate
with  local  tourism  entities  and  local  governments  in  order  to
facilitate bicycle tourism.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2005-06: A.7419 Morelle
2008:S.8141  Serrano  -  Referred  to  Tourism, Recreation, and Sports
Development
2009-10: Senate Referred  to  Cultural  Affairs,  Tourism,  Parks  and
Recreation
2011-2012:  Senate-Referred  to  Commerce,  Economic  Development, and
Small Business

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:    Up  to  fifteen  kiosks  at  $20,000  totaling
$300,000 may be funded from existing or future appropriations.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.

S2702A-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                   2702--A

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                              January 28, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sens.  SERRANO, ADAMS, KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered
    printed, and  when  printed  to  be  committed  to  the  Committee  on
    Commerce,  Economic  Development  and Small Business -- recommitted to
    the Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business  in
    accordance  with  Senate  Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill
    amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said  commit-
    tee

  AN  ACT  to  amend the economic development law, in relation to creating
    the New York State bicycle tourism promotion act

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section  1.  The  economic  development law is amended by adding a new
  article 21 to read as follows:

                                 ARTICLE 21
                NEW YORK STATE BICYCLE TOURISM PROMOTION ACT
  SECTION 500. SHORT TITLE.
          501. STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
          502. DEFINITIONS.
          503. ADMINISTRATION.
          504. GRANTS FOR LOCAL BICYCLE TOURISM KIOSK.
          505. PROGRAM REVIEW.
    S 500. SHORT TITLE. THIS ACT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE  CITED  AS  THE
  NEW YORK STATE BICYCLE TOURISM PROMOTION ACT.
    S 501. STATEMENT  OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT. THE LEGISLATURE HEREBY RECOG-
  NIZES THE ROLE THAT CYCLING PLAYS IN LOCAL TOURISM. INCREASINGLY,  BICY-
  CLES  ARE  UTILIZED  BY  TRAVELERS TO EXPLORE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, OR AS A
  METHOD OF TRAVEL THROUGH THE  STATE.  AS  BICYCLES  HELP  EXPAND  TRAVEL
  DESTINATIONS,  AND ADD TO EXPERIENCE BASED TOURISM, THE STATE SHOULD ACT
  TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH IN THIS SECTOR. IT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS LEGIS-
  LATION TO ESTABLISH A  WORKING  FLEET  OF  RENTAL  BIKES  AT  CONVENTION
  BUREAUS, VISITOR CENTERS AND POINTS OF INTEREST THAT ARE HEAVILY VISITED

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD00151-02-2

 S. 2702--A                          2

  BY  TOURISTS  AND PROFESSIONALS. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEGISLATURE WISHES TO
  PROVIDE A MECHANISM TO CONNECT VISITING PROFESSIONALS AND TRAVELERS WITH
  INFORMATION AND MAPS OF BICYCLING ROUTES AND DESTINATION POINTS.
    S 502. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS ACT, "BICYCLE TOURISM KIOSK" SHALL
  MEAN  A  CENTRAL  LOCATION EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY TOURISTS WHERE BICYCLES,
  BICYCLING SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND A LOCAL BICYCLE ROUTE  MAP  ARE  PROVIDED
  FOR RENTAL AND USE.
    S 503. ADMINISTRATION.  1.  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT GUIDELINES FOR,
  AND ADMINISTER A PROGRAM TO PROMOTE BICYCLE TOURISM  IN  LOCAL  COMMUNI-
  TIES. IN DOING SO, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL:

    (A)  SOLICIT  AND  ACCEPT PROPOSALS FROM LOCAL TOURISM PROMOTION AGEN-
  CIES, CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAUS AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE TO  IDEN-
  TIFY POTENTIAL BICYCLE ROUTES AND HOST A BICYCLE TOURISM KIOSK;
    (B)  EVALUATE  THOSE  PROPOSALS TO ENSURE THAT PROPOSED BICYCLE ROUTES
  WILL PROVIDE TRAVELERS WITH AN ADEQUATE EXPERIENCE BASED ON THE PROXIMI-
  TY OF POINTS OF INTEREST AND TOURISM  ATTRACTIONS  TO  PROPOSED  BICYCLE
  ROUTES; AND
    (C)  PROVIDE THAT NO BICYCLES SHALL BE RENTED WITHOUT ALSO PROVIDING A
  BICYCLE HELMET, OR HAVING BEEN PROVIDED  THAT  THE  PERSON  RENTING  THE
  BICYCLE HAS IN HIS OR HER POSSESSION A HELMET TO BE USED WHILE OPERATING
  SUCH BICYCLE.
    2.  THE  DEPARTMENT  MAY  APPROVE  UP TO FIFTEEN PROPOSALS TO CREATE A
  LOCAL BICYCLE TOURISM KIOSK.
    3. NOTHING SHALL PROHIBIT  THE  DEPARTMENT  FROM  CONTRACTING  WITH  A
  STATEWIDE  BICYCLING ORGANIZATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF IDENTIFYING POTEN-
  TIAL AREAS FOR A BICYCLE TOURISM PROGRAM, EVALUATING PROPOSALS SUBMITTED
  TO THE DEPARTMENT AND LOCALLY ADMINISTERING GRANTS PROVIDED  UNDER  THIS
  ARTICLE.
    S  504.  GRANTS  FOR  LOCAL  BICYCLE  TOURISM  KIOSK. 1. FROM EXISTING
  AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR TOURISM PROMOTION, AND ANY OTHER AMOUNTS APPRO-
  PRIATED FOR THE PROGRAM, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE GRANTS TO  TOURISM
  PROMOTION  AGENCIES,  CONVENTIONS  AND  VISITORS  BUREAUS,  CHAMBERS  OF
  COMMERCE, OR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT AND OPERA-
  TION OF A BICYCLE TOURISM KIOSK.
    2. THE DEPARTMENT MAY CONTRACT WITH A STATEWIDE BICYCLING ORGANIZATION
  TO ADMINISTER GRANTS PROVIDED UNDER THIS ARTICLE.
    3. NO SINGLE GRANT MAY EXCEED TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
    4. ELIGIBLE USES  FOR  GRANTS  PROVIDED  UNDER  THIS  SECTION  ARE  AS
  FOLLOWS:

    (A)  FOR  THE  PURCHASE  OF  BICYCLES,  HELMETS, LOCKS, BICYCLE TOOLS,
  STATIONARY BICYCLE RACKS, AND ANY OTHER EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO  MAINTAIN
  AND PROVIDE SAFE BICYCLE RENTALS;
    (B)  FOR  PERSONAL  SERVICE COSTS, PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT SUCH PERSONAL
  SERVICE COSTS SHALL NOT EXCEED NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER GRANT;
    (C) FOR ANY OTHER COSTS NECESSARY TO LEASE OR PURCHASE SPACE TO  OPER-
  ATE A BICYCLE TOURISM KIOSK; AND
    (D)  FOR  REASONABLE  NON-PERSONAL  SERVICE  COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
  OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A BICYCLE TOURISM KIOSK.
    S 505. PROGRAM REVIEW. THE DEPARTMENT  SHALL,  SIX  MONTHS  AFTER  THE
  AWARDING  OF GRANTS UNDER THIS ARTICLE, CAUSE TO BE PRODUCED A REVIEW OF
  THE PROGRAM. A REPORT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS  OF  THIS  PROGRAM  SHALL  BE
  SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR, TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND SPEAK-
  ER OF THE ASSEMBLY.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.