What's happening
This bill requires operators to promptly notify the Department of Public Service of any underground facility damage incidents and mandates public disclosure of investigation decisions.
Why it matters
Increases accountability for underground facility operators. by requiring them to quickly notify the Department of Public Service of any damage incidents, making it harder for such events to go unreported or ignored.
Mandates public transparency. by obligating the department to publicly announce within 60 days whether it will investigate each reported incident, including explanations if it chooses not to pursue an investigation. This helps ensure oversight and public awareness.
Could improve safety and reduce future incidents. by promoting a proactive approach to identifying causes and contributing factors of underground facility damage, potentially leading to better prevention practices or regulatory changes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Report Underground Utility Damage
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
2 Multi-sponsors
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
10001
IN ASSEMBLY
March 7, 2018
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, ABINANTI, GALEF, SEAWRIGHT, COLTON, D'URSO, ORTIZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law and the general business law, in relation to requiring the notification of the department of public service of an incident involving damage to any underground facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 119-b of the public service law is amended by adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
9. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, each operator shall give notice to the department of each incident involving damages to underground facilities at the earliest practicable moment following discovery of said incident, in such form as the department may require. Within sixty days of notice of an incident under this section and after a preliminary investigation, the department shall post a notice on its website describing whether it will investigate the incident to determine its cause or causes and any contributing factors. In the event the department determines not to investigate the incident, it shall set forth the reasons for its decision. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or modify the authority of the commissioner under state or federal law.
§ 2. Section 763 of the general business law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, each operator shall give notice to the department of public service of each incident involving damages to underground facilities at the earliest practicable moment following discovery of said incident, in such form as such department may require. Within sixty days of notice of an incident under this section and after a preliminary investigation, the department of public service shall post a notice on its website describing whether it will investigate the incident to determine its cause or causes and any contributing factors. In the event the department of public service
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07596-01-7
A. 10001 2
determines not to investigate the incident, it shall set forth the reasons for its decision. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or modify the authority of the public service commission under state or federal law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.