What's happening
This bill requires owners of large buildings in New York to secure access to HVAC and potable water systems for occupant safety.
Why it matters
Expands building security obligations. Building owners (or their agents) must actively implement specific procedures to prevent unauthorized access to HVAC and potable water systems, rather than simply maintaining these systems as before. This could require new locks, surveillance, or personnel training.
Targets large, high-occupancy buildings. The law applies to buildings with a capacity of fifty or more people, focusing on structures where a contamination event could impact many individuals, such as schools, hospitals, offices, or apartment buildings.
Aims to reduce public health risks from sabotage or contamination. By mandating secure access, the bill responds to concerns about intentional or accidental contamination (e.g., chemical, biological, or radiological threats), helping prevent mass exposure to unsafe air or water.
May require new compliance costs and procedures. Building owners will likely need to review and upgrade security measures, document policies, and potentially train staff, creating new operational requirements but with the goal of improving occupant safety.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Secure Building Air and Water
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6117
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring that access to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and potable water supply systems be secure in certain buildings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 15-a to read as follows:
§ 15-a. Secure access to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and potable water supply systems. The owner of every building having a capacity of fifty or more people, or the agent of such owner having supervision over such a building, shall adopt and implement procedures for securing and preventing access, by any person not specifically so authorized, to the (i) heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, (ii) air intakes for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and (iii) potable water supply of such building. Such procedures shall provide for the safety, health and welfare of all occupants of the building, and protect such occupants from contaminated air and water.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03652-01-7
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.