The proposal has the support of at least one Adirondack environmental group. Protect the Adirondacks issued a press release this week saying it’s on board with the amendment.

Little’s amendment, introduced last month, would allow the state to sell the roughly 92 acres of Forest Preserve lands that make up the former prison in the town of Brighton, which the state closed in 2009. Any revenue made from the sale would have to be paid into an account the state would use for future Forest Preserve acquisitions.

The state has twice tried to sell Camp Gabriels without a constitutional amendment. The last attempt in 2014 was through a public auction when it was sold to Adam Fine of Rockland County for $166,000 — but the deal never closed.

Fine’s partner, Rabbi Eli Hersh of Monsey later said he had difficulty getting title insurance and securing the necessary financial backing for his plan to turn Camp Gabriels into a summer camp for Orthodox Jewish boys. He said that was because his investors were leery of concerns environmentalists had raised that the former prison is state land in a Forest Preserve county, which can’t be sold without a constitutional amendment.

The entrance to the former Camp Gabriels prison. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

Amending the constitution is a three-step process. It requires passage by two separately elected state legislatures, then approval in a statewide referendum.

Little introduced a constitutional amendment last year but the legislation never made it to the Assembly floor for a vote. If it had gained first passage last year, it would have been on track to potentially get second passage this year and put on the statewide ballot this fall.

The Senate bill introduced last month is currently in committee. A companion bill has been introduced into the Assembly by Assemblyman Billy Jones.

If the proposed amendment gains first passage this year, the earliest the amendment could be considered by a separately elected legislature would be 2019. If it was approved then, it could be put on the ballot in November 2019.

“It has long been the position of Protect the Adirondacks that the only way the state can legally sell the Camp Gabriels facility is through a constitutional amendment,” Peter Bauer, the group’s executive director, said in a press release. “We support the efforts of Senator Little and will work in the Legislature for first passage this year.”

Sen. Betty Little (Photo provided)