Relates to authorizing local municipalities to establish tourism improvement districts

Latest action May 13, 2026

New York State Senate

Authorizes local municipalities to establish or expand tourism improvement districts and provide services thereto.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the Economic Development Law.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Out of committee and scheduled for a vote by the full chamber.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

Committee

Commerce, Economic Development And Small Business · New York State Senate

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To authorize municipalities to establish Tourism Improvement Districts, for the purposes of generating revenue for the marketing and promotion of tourism

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Committee vote · Commerce, Economic Development And Small Business
Senate Commerce, Economic Development And Small BusinessMay 13, 2026Result: passed
(9) (0) (0) (0)
Vote: Committee vote · Commerce, Economic Development And Small Business
Senate Commerce, Economic Development And Small BusinessApr 29, 2025Result: passed
(8) (0) (0) (1)

The sponsor's argument

Why April Baskin says this is needed

District Management Associations are an integral component of the tour- ism industry and would benefit greatly from a new revenue source in order to help fund marketing and promotion efforts. This bill simply authorizes municipalities to adopt a local law to establish a tourism improvement district for the purposes of raising revenue through business assessments on lodging facilities, for the benefit of businesses through district improvements facilitated by the District Management Association. Decisions regarding surcharge amounts and types of fees imposed are exclusively reserved to local munici- palities and their duly-elected officials. In other parts of the coun- try, tourism districts like these have been successful in attracting overnight visitors, raising awareness about a given destination, spon- soring special events and programs that can bring in large-group busi- ness to a specific area. This legislation has the potential to generate critically-needed revenue for local tourism initiatives that will help boost local economies and support the small businesses which are the bedrock of our communities.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

May 13, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS
NY Senate
Apr 29, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
NY Senate
Mar 4, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS
NY Senate

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 2, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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