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S 10010

Relates to the transfer and conveyance of certain property to the town of Goshen

2025 Regular Session Introduced by James Skoufis

Transfers the Mid-Hudson Forensic Center wastewater plant and 19 acres to Goshen at nominal value, with conditions to maintain service and tax-exempt financing safeguards.

REFERRED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 10010

Summary: Bill S 10010 (2025-2026) — Relates to the transfer and conveyance of certain property to the town of Goshen

Jurisdiction: New York
Committee: Finance
Sponsor: Sen. Skoufis (co-sponsor James Skoufis)
Introduced: April 22, 2026

Purpose and intent

  • The bill amends the Facilities Development Corporation Act to authorize a targeted transfer and conveyance of a specific property parcel to the Town of Goshen.
  • The conveyance is designed to support the continued operation of wastewater treatment services at the Office of Mental Health’s Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center campus.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1: Amendments to the Facilities Development Corporation Act

  • Modifies existing authority governing the transfer of state-owned real property held for mental hygiene facilities improvement programs.
  • Reaffirms that such transfers are subject to:
    • Leases, subleases, loans, and other financing agreements with the New York State Housing Finance Agency or the New York State Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency.
    • Determinations by the relevant commissioners (department, and for mental health facilities, city or county as applicable).
    • Compliance with the “plan developed by the state interagency council on mental hygiene property utilization.”

  • Requires written notice to the Governor, the Senate Majority Leader, and the Assembly Speaker at least 30 days prior to the effective date of any conveyance.

  • Important safeguards:

    • No conveyance shall adversely affect the tax-exempt status of related financing unless otherwise permitted, and such conveyance must be reviewed and approved in writing by the Attorney General or appointed bond counsel to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, and to ensure tax-exempt status is preserved.
    • Any conveyance must align with related bond resolutions, leases, and financing agreements.

Subsection (c): Special conveyance to the Town of Goshen (targeted parcel)

  • Special authorization to transfer and convey to the Town of Goshen the following property on the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center campus:
    • The existing wastewater treatment plant, including structures, equipment, buried infrastructure, spare parts, and consumables used in the wastewater treatment process.
    • The 19 acres of land on which the wastewater treatment plant sits.
    • A subdivided portion of 2834 State Route 17M in the Town of Goshen, Orange County, NY (Parcel number to be assigned).
  • Treatment of “fair value”:
    • For this transfer, “fair value” is to be deemed a nominal amount determined by the Commissioner of the Office of Mental Health (OMH), if such transfer serves the public interest and enables continued wastewater treatment services for the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center.
  • Contingent upon terms and conditions imposed by the OMH Commissioner to ensure:
    • Continued operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant.
    • Provision of services to the Office of Mental Health at a reasonable cost.
    • Compliance with a separate written agreement detailing these terms.
  • The property description in the bill is not intended to be a formal legal description but identifies the property subject to this subsection.

Section 2: Effective Date

  • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who would be affected

  • State entities:

    • Office of Mental Health (OMH)
    • New York State Health and Finance-related agencies (Housing Finance Agency and Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency)
    • The Facilities Development Corporation
    • The Governor, Senate Majority Leader, and Assembly Speaker (notice requirement)
    • Attorney General or designated bond counsel (conveyance review for tax-exempt status)

  • Local entity:

    • Town of Goshen, Orange County, NY (receives transfer of the wastewater treatment plant facility, associated equipment, and land)

  • Services affected:

    • Wastewater treatment services at the OMH Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center campus.

Procedural and timeline considerations

  • The bill requires:

    • Compliance with existing lease/sublease/financing agreements and interagency planning for mental hygiene property utilization.
    • Written notice to the Governor, Senate, and Assembly at least 30 days prior to conveyance.
    • Attorney General or bond counsel review confirming legality, fiscal integrity, and preservation of tax-exempt status prior to any conveyance that could impact bonds or tax-exempt financing.

  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.

Potential implications and considerations

  • Fiscal/tax-exemption safeguards:

    • The bill includes explicit protections to avoid undermining the tax-exempt status of related financing agreements.
    • Requires formal legal review before critical conveyances.

  • Public benefit rationale:

    • By transferring the wastewater treatment facility to the Town of Goshen, the arrangement aims to ensure continued, cost-effective wastewater services for the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center, potentially simplifying operations and achieving public benefit.

  • Local impact:

    • The Town of Goshen gains ownership or control of critical wastewater infrastructure serving a state mental health facility, with continued oversight and cost considerations memorialized in a separate agreement.

Overall, S 10010 creates a narrowly tailored pathway to transfer a specific mental-health-related wastewater facility and its associated land to Goshen, under nominal value for public benefit, with rigorous safeguards to protect bondholders and maintain service continuity.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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