What's happening
This bill sets new standards requiring more women's restrooms in public assembly venues such as arenas, theaters, and stadiums.
Why it matters
Targets both new and significantly renovated venues. The bill’s requirements apply not just to new construction, but also to existing buildings undergoing major renovations or occupancy changes, meaning its impact will be felt across much of the public assembly infrastructure, not just future projects.
Mandates a higher ratio of women’s restroom fixtures. The bill more than doubles the minimum number of women’s toilets compared to men’s for each occupancy tier, directly addressing long-standing disparities in restroom wait times at large venues.
Requires re-designation of existing restrooms where feasible. Even venues that aren’t being renovated must, by 2019, repurpose restrooms to better match the new gender fixture ratios when possible—so the law seeks to improve conditions both immediately and over the long term.
Creates clear, enforceable standards statewide. By codifying specific fixture counts and population calculations, the bill reduces ambiguity for venue operators and local code officials, aiming for consistent restroom access and planning across New York’s public entertainment spaces.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Add More Women's Bathrooms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3595
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 25, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to standards for the number of water closets in certain places of public assembly and increases the number of water closets for women
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 378-a to read as follows:
§ 378-a. Standards for water closets in certain places of public assembly. 1. Notwithstanding any rule, regulation or law to the contrary, standards for water closets in the buildings containing areas of public assembly enumerated in this section shall be as stated in this section.
2. The provisions of this section shall apply to any arena, auditorium, or building where alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed, meeting hall, motion picture theatre, public dance hall, stadium, or theatre in the following buildings or spaces:
a. new buildings or spaces;
b. existing buildings or spaces that are altered where the cost of making alterations in any twelve-month period shall exceed thirty percent of the value of the building or space; and
c. existing buildings or spaces that are altered where the alteration of the building or space results in a change in the occupancy group classification of the building or space under the provisions of the building codes applicable in the state of New York.
3. By January first, two thousand nineteen, any arena, auditorium, or building where alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed, meeting hall, motion picture theatre, public dance hall, stadium, or theatre not subject to subdivision two of this section shall re-designate existing
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07494-01-7
S. 3595 2
bathrooms for the use by persons of one sex to the other, if more than two bathrooms exist in such facility, and if doing so would produce a ratio of water closets designated for the use of women and men that more closely approximates the ratio of women's to men's water closets required under subdivision four of this section.
4. a. The minimum requirement for the number of water closets pursuant to this section for any arena, auditorium, or building where alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed, meeting hall, motion picture theatre, public dance hall, stadium, or theatre shall be as listed in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Number of Persons Number of Water Closets Number of Water Closets
for Men for Women 1-150 1 2 151-300 2 4 301-450 3 6 For occupancy by more than four hundred fifty persons, there shall be one water closet for men and two water closets for women for each additional three hundred persons. The population used to determine the number of water closets required shall be based on the number of people to occupy the space; provided, however, that in no case shall the population be deemed less than that determined by allowing one hundred twenty-five square feet of floor area per person.
b. Urinals may be provided in bathrooms in lieu of water closets but the number shall not exceed fifty percent of the required number of sanitary fixtures.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the secretary of state is immediately authorized and directed to promulgate, amend and/or repeal any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to standards for the number of water closets in certain places of public assembly and increases the number of water closets for women
Purpose
To require twice as many sanitary facilities for women as for men in buildings used for public assembly.
Summary of provisions
Creates a new section 378-a of the Executive law to require that rest-rooms in arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, meeting halls, theaters, public dance halls, or buildings where alcohol is sold and consumed, must provide twice as many water closets for women as for men if: the aforementioned public space is newly constructed; the aforementioned public space has undergone renovations where the cost of such alterations in any 12 month period exceeds 30% of the value of the building or space, or; an existing building or space has been altered to now become a Public space as listed above.
Provides that arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, meeting halls, theaters, public dance halls or buildings where alcohol is sold and consumed that do not meet the conditions outlined above, shall by January 1, 2016, re-designate existing bathrooms if doing so would produce a ratio that approximates the 2:1 requirement.
Provides that urinals may be provided in bathrooms in lieu of water closets but the number shall not exceed 50% of the number of sanitary facilities in such bathrooms.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.3983A - Amend and Recommit to Housing 2013-14: S.3257A - Amend and Recommit to Housing 2011-12: S.1137/A.6808 - Referred to Housing 2009-10: S.2279-A/A.6424-A - Referred to Housing 2007-08: S.2485/A.4705 - Referred to Housing 2006: S.1351/A.12049 - Referred to Housing
Justification
According to studies by Dr. Sandra Rawls on patterns of behavior in the use of bathrooms, it frequently takes women twice as long to use the bathroom as it does men. The absence of sufficient women's bathrooms in places of public assembly, and the resultant queues for women's bathrooms, is one of the most blatant, demeaning, and visible forms of gender discrimination. The 2003 International Building Code requires approximately twice as many water closets for women as for men in places of public assembly. Numerous jurisdictions, including California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, have enacted laws requiring more rest rooms for women. This bill recognizes the different rest room needs of men and women and is in keeping with changes in the International Building Code.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.