BILL NUMBER: S211
SPONSOR: HELMING
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the military law, in relation to the Lake Ontario-St.
Lawrence River flood prevention, response and recovery program; and to
amend the New York state urban development corporation act and the state
finance law, in relation to financing the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence
River flood prevention, response and recovery program
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would establish, under the direction of the Division and Naval
Affairs, a Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River flood prevention, response
and recovery program, and would provide for the authorization to finance
projects under the program by the state urban development corporation.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
1. Amend section 6 of the military law, adding a new subdivision 3
2. Add a new article 5 to military law establishing a Lake Ontario, St.
Lawrence River Flood Prevention, Response and Recovery Program under the
direction of the Adjutant General and the Division of Military and Naval
Affairs.
3. Amend section 212-a of military law
4. Amend section 2 of section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968 by
adding a new fifth undesignated paragraph
5. Amends the opening paragraph of subdivision 6 of section 3 of section
1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the New York state
urban development corporation act, as amended by chapter 603 of the laws
of 2003, is amended and a new paragraph (i)
6. Amend the opening paragraph of section 18 of section 1 of chapter 174
of the laws of 1968, constituting the New York state urban development
corporation act, as amended by chapter 839 of the laws of 1987
7. Amends state finance law is amended by adding a new article 17
8. Sets the effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Historic flooding along the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River Water-
fronts have caused devastating effects to property owners, businesses
and municipalities. In 2017, New York enacted Lake Ontario and St.
Lawrence River Flood grant program to address the destruction from the
2017 flooding. As increased water levels indicate that such flooding
could well be a more frequent occurrence, rather than simply a one-time
event, the need has arisen to develop a prudent state government strate-
gy to provide an effective and ongoing prevention, response and recovery
program for the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River Waterfronts.
This bill seeks to enact such an effective and ongoing prevention,
response, and recovery program by empowering the state's Adjutant Gener-
al and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs to develop and admin-
istrate such a program, and to provide effective resources for such
program by means of financing through the state urban development corpo-
ration.
The Division of Military and Naval Affairs, through the National Guard,
is expert in disaster prevention, response, and recovery, and have the
necessary contacts with federal partners, such as the federal emergency
management agency and the army corps of engineers, to accomplish such an
effective and meaningful flood prevention, response, and recovery
program. Additionally, the state urban development corporation has
further demonstrated a valuable expertise in the financing of critical
infrastructure and recovery projects, which would prove the backbone on
any such effective program.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.4526 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs
2021-2022: S.2604 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs
2019-2020: S.3848 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs
2018: S.8181 passed Senate.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None noted (appropriation presently exists in law).
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S211: 6 military law