Ian Brickey (202) 675-6270 or ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
ALBANY -- In a unanimous vote, the New York State Senate passed the Outdoor Rx Act on February 26, 2020. The bill, sponsored by state Senator Brian Benjamin (NY-30) and Assemblymember Didi Barrett (NY-106), would lower barriers for veterans to access New York State’s scenic and restorative outdoor spaces. The bill now moves to the desk of Gov. Andrew Cuomo to await his signature.
In response to the 60-0 vote, Lt. Col. (retired) Aaron Leonard, Sierra Club Military Outdoors Campaign Representative, released the following statement:
“We applaud the work of Senator Benjamin and Assemblywoman Barrett to move this bill through the General Assembly with unanimous support. More than 800,000 veterans live in New York State, but numerous barriers often prevent them from exercising their human right to access nature. With his signature, Gov. Cuomo can make New York the leader among states when it comes to ensuring veterans can experience the healing power of nature.
“The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter and partner organizations have worked hard to gather support for the bill. Through Sierra Club outings, we have seen first-hand the positive effects veterans experience from getting outdoors. This vote demonstrates that eliminating the barriers that prevent veterans from accessing New York’s outdoor spaces is not a partisan issue — it’s common sense.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.