Relates to the applicability of local laws of certain cities to buildings owned, leased or operated by the state or its agencies

1 Co-sponsor

• Martin J. Golden

BILL NUMBER:S5597B

Title of bill

An act creating the New York city-New York state task force on building and fire safety, and providing for the duties thereof; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

Purpose

This bill would establish a joint New York City-New York State task on building and fire safety.

Summary of provisions

The bill provides that the task force would consist of a working group co-chaired by one appointee of the Governor, and one appointee of the Mayor. In addition to these co-chairs, the working group would consist of four representatives of the City and four representatives of the State.

The bill sets forth various areas the working group should review relating to fire and building safety and the relationship of the New York City fire and building codes to buildings owned by the State in the City of New York, including safety issues encountered by first responders in New York city when responding to emergencies in state-controlled buildings. The task force is to submit a report to the Governor and the Mayor no later than March 1, 2012.

The bill is deemed repealed as of June 30,2012.

Justification

This bill seeks to address the safety issues which led to the deaths of firefighters Joseph Graffagnino Jr. and Robert Beddia in the August 18, 2007 Deutsche Bank fire in Manhattan.

In its report and recommendations last year, the Mayor's Construction, Demolition, and Abatement (CDA) Working Group found that the informal and voluntary nature of compliance with the New York City Construction Codes and the Rules of the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) Department of Buildings Rules and the New York City Fire Code and the Rules and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) creates a risk that there is construction, demolition, or other hazardous activity taking place at these properties that the City does not know about, cannot require building owners to correct, and may not be prepared to address in the event of an emergency.

Currently, DOB and FDNY have limited enforcement powers over state building and property owners, depending on the enabling statute of the state entities. DOB exercises its enforcement powers upon state entities mainly through the voluntary filing of construction and demolition projects by those entities. FDNY exercises its enforcement powers mainly through courtesy inspections and liaison relationships.

The establishment of this task force would further the dialogue and cooperative efforts of the City and State and would lead to the development of additional approaches to address the relationship of the building and fire codes of the City to buildings owned or leased by the State. Through a sharing of concerns and expertise on fire- and life-safety issues, the task force will further the aims of the CDA Working Group and build a shared commitment to protect the safety of first responders, workers and the public at these properties.

Legislative history

None.

Fiscal implications

Minimal.

Effective date

Immediately.