What's happening
This bill allows municipalities, except NYC, to grant building permits for certain alterations based on certification by licensed engineers or architects.
Why it matters
Streamlines the building permit process. for certain alterations by allowing licensed engineers or architects to directly certify code compliance, which could reduce waiting times and administrative burdens for property owners and developers.
Limits the scope to safer, less structurally significant alterations. specifically, those that do not change load-bearing walls, accessibility for people with disabilities, fire egress, or fire ratings—helping to balance efficiency with safety and accessibility protections.
Gives municipalities (except NYC) local control. over whether to adopt this expedited procedure, enabling tailored adoption based on community needs and resources, while excluding the unique context of New York City.
May reduce project costs and encourage upgrades. by making it easier and faster to obtain permits for qualifying renovations, potentially spurring investment in existing residential and commercial properties.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow Engineers to Approve Permits
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Print number 8894a
- Amend (t) and recommit to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Faster Permits for Renovations
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Phil Boyle
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8894--A
IN ASSEMBLY
January 5, 2018
Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, MURRAY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing uniform procedures authorizing municipalities to grant building permits upon certification by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect in good standing for certain alterations to existing commercial buildings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs d and e of subdivision 2 of section 377 of the executive law, as added by chapter 707 of the laws of 1981, are amended and a new paragraph f is added to read as follows:
d. encourage, so far as may be practicable, the standardization of construction practices, methods, equipment, material and techniques; [and]
e. eliminate restrictive, obsolete, conflicting and unnecessary building regulations and requirements which tend to increase unnecessarily construction costs or retard unnecessarily the use of new materials, or provide unwarranted preferential treatment to types or classes of material or products or methods of construction[.]; and
f. notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, establish a uniform procedure authorizing municipalities, except cities with a population in excess of one million, which adopt a local law authorizing the adoption of such uniform procedure, to grant a building permit in cases where a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect in good standing certifies to the municipality that the proposed construction is in conformance with the requirements of the uniform fire prevention and building code; provided, however, that such procedure shall allow a municipality to accept a certification by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect in good standing only in cases where the permit application is for alterations to existing residential or commercial buildings, where such alterations do not alter
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10673-04-8
A. 8894--A 2
load bearing walls, do not alter existing accessibility that is compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, meets all fire egress requirements, and maintains at least the same fire rating as before the proposed construction.
§ 2. 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.