S 8049: Requires playgrounds in New York city parks, state parks, and municipalities to be universally accessible.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8049 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE May 15, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, the general municipal law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring universally accessible playgrounds in New York city and state parks The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section 2 79-r to read as follows: 3 § 79-r. Universally accessible playground equipment. 1. Pursuant to 4 section forty of this chapter, all playgrounds in state parks shall be 5 universally accessible. To the extent practicable, such accessible play- 6 ground equipment shall be incorporated into the layout of the existing 7 playground or proposed playground plan. 8 2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have 9 the following meanings: 10 (a) "Disability" shall have the same meaning as defined in section two 11 hundred ninety-two of the executive law. 12 (b) "Universally accessible" shall mean that children with disabili- 13 ties can use their typical means of mobility to access a minimum of 14 seventy percent of play activities. 15 § 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 248 16 to read as follows: 17 § 248. Universally accessible playground equipment. 1. All municipal 18 playgrounds and neighborhood recreation centers shall be universally 19 accessible. To the extent practicable, such accessible playground equip- 20 ment shall be incorporated into the layout of the existing playground or 21 proposed playground plan. 22 2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have 23 the following meanings: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13137-01-5 
 S. 8049 2 1 (a) "Disability" shall have the same meaning as defined in section two 2 hundred ninety-two of the executive law. 3 (b) "Universally accessible" shall mean that children with disabili- 4 ties can use their typical means of mobility to access a minimum of 5 seventy percent of play activities. 6 § 3. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by 7 adding a new section 18-166 to read as follows: 8 § 18-166 Universally accessible playground equipment. 1. All play- 9 grounds in New York city parks shall be universally accessible. To the 10 extent practicable, such accessible playground equipment shall be incor- 11 porated into the layout of the existing playground or proposed play- 12 ground plan. 13 2. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have 14 the following meanings: 15 (a) "Disability" shall have the same meaning as defined in section two 16 hundred ninety-two of the executive law. 17 (b) "Universally accessible" shall mean that children with disabili- 18 ties can use their typical means of mobility to access a minimum of 19 seventy percent of play activities. 20 § 4. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 21 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 22 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 23 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 24 on or before such effective date.