S 10710: Authorizes the empire state development corporation to establish the New York flight grant program to offer grants to municipalities, government organizations, or community not-for-profit organizations to apply for grants to use in negotiations with airlines to attract new, direct flights and service to airports in this state; appropriates $15,000,000 therefor.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 10710  IN SENATE September 30, 2026 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish- ing the New York flight grant program; and making an appropriation therefor The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new 2 article 29 to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 29 4 NEW YORK FLIGHT GRANT PROGRAM 5 Section 550. New York flight grant program. 6 § 550. New York flight grant program. 1. (a) The empire state develop- 7 ment corporation shall design and implement the New York flight grant 8 program, which shall include, but not be limited to, a process by which 9 eligible entities shall apply for grants to utilize minimum revenue 10 guarantees to attract new, direct flights and service to airports in 11 this state. 12 (b) The department shall: 13 (i) adopt procedures for implementing the program; 14 (ii) promulgate a list of qualifying expenses; 15 (iii) promote awareness of the program, including through coordination 16 with relevant trade groups and by integration into the department's 17 economic development marketing campaigns; and 18 (iv) adopt measurable goals, performance measures, and an audit strat- 19 egy to assess the utilization and performance of the program. 20 2. For the purposes of this section, the term "eligible entities" 21 shall include, but not be limited to, a municipality, a government 22 organization or a community not-for-profit organization. 23 3. This article shall not apply to airports located within cities with 24 a population of one million or more. 25 § 2. The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), or so much 26 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the empire state 27 development corporation from any moneys in the state treasury in the EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD16353-01-6 
 S. 10710 2 1 general fund to the credit of the state purposes account for the initial 2 capital of the New York flight grant program in carrying out the 3 provisions of this act. Such sum shall be payable on the audit and 4 warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers certified or approved in 5 the manner provided by law. No expenditure shall be made from this 6 appropriation until a certificate of approval of availability shall have 7 been issued by the director of the budget and filed with the state comp- 8 troller and a copy filed with the chair of the senate finance committee 9 and the chair of the assembly ways and means committee. Such certificate 10 may be amended from time to time by the director of the budget and a 11 copy of each such amendment shall be filed with the state comptroller, 12 the chair of the senate finance committee and the chair of the assembly 13 ways and means committee. 14 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately, 15 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces- 16 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 17 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.