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Senate bill · S9429 (2025-26)

Authorizes the council on the arts to designate Little Panama as a cultural district

New York State Senate

Same as A8904, the matching bill in the Assembly.

PassedLatest action Jun 3, 2026

Passed as A8904, the matching Assembly bill.

Sponsor: Zellnor Myrie (State Senator, District 20, Democratic)

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From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 23, 2026. About our data

Summary

Authorizes the council on the arts to designate Little Panama as a cultural district in the city of New York; designates boundaries.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Given the diversity of languages, cultures, and specific historical communities within New York City and specifically East 96th Street on the South, 51h Avenue on the West, East 12511' Street on the North and East River on the East, having a significant population of Panamanians. The amendment would designate the area to be called Little Panama.This Act would provide cultural institutions within the area a designation allowing grants, technical assistance, or other assistance authorized by this section as the council deems appropriate.

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

Where it stands

Passed the legislature and is awaiting a signature.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

Committee

Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks And Recreation · New York State Senate

Also referred to Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development · New York State Assembly.

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Cosponsors

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab)
  • Democratic4

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

The sponsor's argument

Why Zellnor Myrie says this is needed

There is a precedent for such designations within New York City. For example: the Village, Chinatown, Little Italy and Little Haiti. Such districts have been proven to provide social cohesion amongst new and longtime residents, supporting, multigenerational investments while garnering new opportunities for economic development, communal pride and better quality of life services. The cultural designation would also attract tourism and build community ownership.

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.

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateJun 3, 2026Result: passedSenate vote on A8904, the matching Assembly bill.

    (61) (0) (0) (2)

Full history

  1. Jun 3, 2026

    3RD Reading CAL.1654

    3RD READING CAL.1654

    NY Senate

  2. Jun 3, 2026

    In committee

    COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

    NY Senate

  3. Jun 3, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  4. Jun 3, 2026

    Substituted

    SUBSTITUTED FOR S9429

    NY Senate

  5. May 11, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO SENATE

    NY Assembly

Show full history (9 earlier events)
  1. May 11, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED ASSEMBLY

    NY Assembly

  2. May 11, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS AND RECREATION

    NY Senate

  3. May 7, 2026

    Advanced to Third Reading CAL.469

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.469

    NY Assembly

  4. May 5, 2026

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED

    NY Assembly

  5. Mar 18, 2026

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS

    NY Assembly

  6. Mar 11, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS AND RECREATION

    NY Senate

  7. Feb 12, 2026

    Amend and Recommit to Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development

    AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO TOURISM, PARKS, ARTS AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

    NY Assembly

  8. Jan 7, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO TOURISM, PARKS, ARTS AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

    NY Assembly

  9. Jun 16, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO TOURISM, PARKS, ARTS AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

    NY Assembly

Read the record