A bill that would create a long-sought-after state land bank passed its final legislative hurdle on Wednesday and now waits for the signature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The land bank, officially known as the health and safety account, would provide 250 acres of land within the Adirondack and Catskill parks. Two parcels of land — one of 214 acres in the Catskills and one of 1,206 acres in the Adirondacks, totaling 1,420 acres — would be added to the Forest Preserve and would also satisfy the requirement that a health and safety land account of 250 acres be created.

The land bank will allow local governments within the two parks to swap small pieces of land for Forest Preserve. For instance, if a town within the Adirondacks wanted to add a bike lane to the side of a road that goes through Forest Preserve land, the town would have to get a statewide constitutional amendment passed. That process takes years: It requires passage by two separately elected state legislatures and then by voters on a statewide ballot measure. With the land bank, the town would be able to swap out the land needed for the bike path without reducing the total amount of acreage within the Forest Preserve.

Voters statewide approved the land bank in concept as a constitutional amendment in 2017.

The Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Sens. Betty Little and Jose Serrano, passed on Wednesday morning and will now go to the governor for his signature.

There is not yet a timeline for when Cuomo will consider the bill.

Of the two land parcels being added to the Forest Preserve, the Adirondack one is in the Essex County town of Moriah.

“The proposed Essex County land acquisition would provide natural resource protection and public recreation opportunities in an under-utilized area of the Adirondack Park,” the justification for the bill says. “Adding this property to the forest preserve will conserve the headwaters of an important watershed in the Lake Champlain basin property shares boundaries with existing protected lands. The Land presents opportunities for hunting, wildlife viewing, fishing, paddling, camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.”

Little said in a press release, “This has been a lengthy, thorough, multi-step process of approving the health and safety account to help our Adirondack communities address important infrastructure needs, facilitate broadband and create new recreational opportunities. I am thankful for the work of Senator Serrano to bring this bill forward for a vote and for the support of my colleagues. I also am thankful for passage in the Assembly, led by Assemblyman Steve Englebright and my North Country colleagues Assemblymen Billy Jones and Dan Stec.”