File #: Int 0566-2024    Version: Name: Annual report to expand access to school playgrounds.
Type: Introduction Status: Reported from Committee
Committee: Committee on Parks and Recreation
On agenda: 3/7/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to an annual report to expand access to school playgrounds
Sponsors: Gale A. Brewer, Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson, Shahana K. Hanif, Shekar Krishnan, Tiffany Cabán, Julie Menin, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Amanda Farías, Susan Zhuang, Chris Banks, Sandy Nurse, Chi A. Ossé, Carlina Rivera , Alexa Avilés, Robert F. Holden, Kevin C. Riley, Farah N. Louis, Linda Lee, Diana I. Ayala, Christopher Marte, Carmen N. De La Rosa, Yusef Salaam, Mercedes Narcisse, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Eric Dinowitz
Council Member Sponsors: 27
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Education (DOE), in consultation Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), to create and submit to the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council an annual report on how to expand public access to school playgrounds. The plan would need to prioritize playgrounds that are located in environmental justice areas and include, for the upcoming year, a list of at least 15 school playgrounds that could be maintained and operated by DPR and DOE and used by the public on weekends and after school hours, a list of the duties of DPR and DOE in relation to increasing the number of playgrounds available to the public, the estimated budget required, and any challenges with implementing the plan.
Indexes: Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 566-B, 2. Summary of Int. No. 566-A, 3. Summary of Int. No. 566, 4. Int. No. 566, 5. March 7, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 6. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 3-7-24, 7. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - March 7, 2024, 8. Committee Report 4/23/25, 9. Hearing Testimony 4/23/25, 10. Hearing Transcript 4/23/25, 11. Proposed Int. No. 566-A - 6/4/25, 12. Proposed Int. No. 566-B - 6/22/25, 13. Int. No. 566-B - Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 14. Int. No. 566-B - Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 15. Committee Report 6/30/25

Int. No. 566-B

 

By Council Members Brewer, Restler, Hudson, Hanif, Krishnan, Cabán, Menin, Brooks-Powers, Sanchez, Farías, Zhuang, Banks, Nurse, Ossé, Rivera, Avilés, Holden, Riley, Louis, Lee, Ayala, Marte, De La Rosa, Salaam, Narcisse, Gutiérrez and Dinowitz

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to an annual report to expand access to school playgrounds

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 18 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 18-167 to read as follows:

§ 18-167 Public access to school playgrounds. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Environmental justice area. The term “environmental justice area” has the same meaning as set forth in section 3-1001.

Playground. The term “playground” means any premises or grounds of a public school or other facility owned or operated by or on behalf of the department of education or by a charter school that contains any device, structure, or implement, fixed or portable, used or intended to be used by persons under the age of 18 for recreational or athletic purposes, including, but not limited to, play equipment such as a sliding board, swing, jungle gym, sandbox, climbing bar, wading pool, obstacle course, swimming pool, seesaw, baseball diamond, athletic field, or basketball court.

b. No later than 75 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, and annually thereafter, the department of education, in consultation with the department and the school construction authority, shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council a report about playgrounds to which the department of education may provide access to the public after school on weekdays when school is in session, and from 8:00 a.m. to dusk on weekends and on weekdays when school is not in session. Such report shall not include any playground to which the department of education, as of the date immediately preceding the effective date of the local law that added this section, provided access to the public after school on weekdays when school is in session, or from 8:00 a.m. to dusk on weekends or on weekdays when school is not in session. Such report shall prioritize access to playgrounds located in environmental justice areas. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to:

1. A list of no less than 15 playgrounds, including no less than 1 playground located in an environmental justice area, that the department of education may operate and maintain for use by the public after school on weekdays when school is in session, and from 8:00 a.m. to dusk on weekends and on weekdays when school is not in session, and the reason the department of education included each such playground on such list;

2. A description of the duties and responsibilities of the department and the department of education in relation to operating and maintaining any playground on such list;

3. The estimated budget required to operate and maintain all such playgrounds after school on weekdays when school is in session, and from 8:00 a.m. to dusk on weekends and on weekdays when school is not in session; and

4. Any anticipated challenges in relation to providing access to the public to any such playground during such days and times.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

 

 

 

 

Session 13

KS

LS #10647

6/18/25 3:53PM

 

Session 12

JEF

LS #10647

5/22/23 11:00am