S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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    S. 4440--A                                            A. 6317--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                      S E N A T E - A S S E M B L Y

                             March 20, 2015
                               ___________

IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print-
  ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental
  Conservation  -- recommitted to the Committee on Environmental Conser-
  vation  in  accordance  with  Senate  Rule  6,  sec.  8  --  committee
  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
  to said committee

IN  ASSEMBLY  -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred
  to the Committee on Environmental Conservation -- recommitted  to  the
  Committee  on  Environmental  Conservation in accordance with Assembly
  Rule  3,  sec.  2  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  environmental  conservation law, in relation to
  establishing a  commercial  fisheries  accessibility  task  force  and
  providing  for  its powers and duties; and providing for the repeal of
  such provisions upon expiration thereof

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

  Section  1.  The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
new section 13-0102 to read as follows:
S 13-0102. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ACCESSIBILITY TASK FORCE.
  1. CREATION OF COMMERCIAL  FISHERIES  ACCESSIBILITY  TASK  FORCE.  (A)
THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT A COMMERCIAL FISHERIES
ACCESSIBILITY  TASK FORCE, HEREINAFTER "TASK FORCE", TO MAKE RECOMMENDA-
TIONS ON PLANS, POLICIES, LAWS, REGULATIONS,  AND  PROGRAMS  TO  IMPROVE
ACCESS TO THE COMMERCIAL MARINE FISHERIES.
  (B)  THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL  CONSIST  OF THIRTEEN VOTING MEMBERS. THE
CHAIRPERSON OF SAID TASK FORCE SHALL BE THE COMMISSIONER OF THE  DEPART-
MENT OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE. OF THE REMAINING TWELVE MEMBERS, FOUR SHALL
BE  APPOINTED  BY  THE GOVERNOR, FOUR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MAJORITY

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD09413-03-6

              

S. 4440--A                          2                         A. 6317--A

LEADER OF THE SENATE, AND FOUR SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF  THE
ASSEMBLY.
  (C) OF THE MEMBERS APPOINTED, ALL SHALL BE RESIDENTS OF A COUNTY WHICH
BORDERS  THE  MARINE AND COASTAL DISTRICT. NONE OF THE APPOINTED MEMBERS
SHALL BE EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT. THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE  REPRESEN-
TATIVE  OF    INDIVIDUAL    AND  ORGANIZED   COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL
SHELLFISHING AND FINFISHING INTERESTS IN THE STATE.
  (D) AT NO TIME SHALL THERE BE LESS THAN  SEVEN  MEMBERS  OF  THE  TASK
FORCE WHO SHALL BE REPRESENTATIVE OF COMMERCIAL FISHING INTERESTS.
  (E)  MEMBERS MAY INCLUDE, BUT SHALL BE NOT LIMITED TO, BAYMEN, COMMER-
CIAL FINFISH FISHERMEN  OR  WOMEN,  COMMERCIAL  SHELLFISH  FISHERMEN  OR
WOMEN, AND NEW YORK FISHING RELATED BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES.
  (F)  PERSONS  DESIGNATED  OR  APPOINTED  TO  THE TASK FORCE SHALL HAVE
DEMONSTRATED A  LONG-STANDING  INTEREST,  KNOWLEDGE  AND  EXPERIENCE  IN
COMMERCIAL OR RECREATIONAL HARVESTING OF MARINE RESOURCES.
  (G)  THE TASK FORCE SHALL MEET NO LESS THAN FOUR TIMES PER YEAR AND AT
OTHER TIMES AT THE CALL OF THE CHAIRPERSON.
  (H) ANY VACANCIES ON THE TASK FORCE SHALL  BE  FILLED  IN  THE  MANNER
PROVIDED FOR IN THE INITIAL APPOINTMENT.
  (I)  THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND
MEETINGS TO ENABLE IT TO ACCOMPLISH ITS DUTIES.
  2. REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. NO LATER THAN  DECEMBER  31,  2019,  THE
TASK  FORCE  SHALL  TRANSMIT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE
SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY A REPORT  CONTAINING  RECOMMENDA-
TIONS TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING:
  (A)  DEFINE A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF NEW YORK'S FISHERIES
RESOURCES AND NEW YORK'S COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY;
  (B) ENSURE  A  SUSTAINABLE,  ECONOMICALLY  VIABLE  COMMERCIAL  FISHING
INDUSTRY;
  (C)  PROVIDE  FOR  MORE  LOCAL  INDUSTRY  INPUT  ON COMMERCIAL FISHING
MATTERS; AND
  (D) REGULATORY AND STATUTORY CHANGES  RELATED  TO  COMMERCIAL  FISHING
EFFORTS  AND LICENSES, PERMITS, ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, TRANSFERABILI-
TY, AND REQUALIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ACCESS  TO  THE  COMMERCIAL
FISHING INDUSTRY.
  S  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
deemed repealed January 1, 2020.