What's happening
This bill requires New York to update its building and energy codes within twelve months whenever relevant international codes are revised.
Why it matters
Accelerates Adoption of Modern Safety and Efficiency Standards. By mandating New York to update its building and energy codes within a year of international code updates, the bill ensures that construction and renovation in the state quickly reflect the latest safety, fire prevention, and energy efficiency practices.
Removes Cost-Effectiveness Barriers. The bill eliminates previous requirements that code changes be “economically reasonable” or “cost effective,” potentially enabling stricter energy and building standards to be adopted even if the immediate financial payback is not clear, prioritizing long-term safety and sustainability.
Aligns State Codes with Widely-Used National and International Standards. The legislation ties New York’s codes directly to updates from major authorities such as the International Code Council and ASHRAE, reducing the risk that New York’s regulations become outdated or fall behind common best practices used elsewhere.
Impacts Builders, Homeowners, and Local Governments. Faster code updates may require architects, developers, and local code enforcement agencies to adapt to new requirements more frequently, impacting project planning, costs, and compliance processes throughout the construction and real estate sectors.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Update Fire and Energy Codes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 45
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
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.
Update Building Safety Codes
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Pamela J. Hunter
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4562
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 17, 2017
Introduced by Sen. LITTLE -- 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 and the energy law, in relation to requiring the updating of the state uniform fire prevention and building code and the state energy conservation construction code on the basis of update of certain international codes
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 377 of the executive law is renumbered subdivision 3 and a new subdivision 2 is added to read as follows:
2. Each time a revised or updated edition of the International Building Code, the International Fire Code, the International Residential Code, the International Plumbing Code, the International Mechanical Code, the International Fuel Gas Code, the International Existing Building Code, the International Property Maintenance Code or the National Electrical Code is published, the council shall, within twelve months of such publication of a revised or updated edition, cause the uniform fire prevention and building code to be updated to reflect changes in any such revised or updated edition.
§ 2. Section 11-101 of the energy law, as amended by chapter 516 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
§ 11-101. Purpose. In furtherance of the policy set forth in subdivision two of section 3-101 of this chapter, the legislature hereby directs that a state energy conservation construction code be adopted to protect the health, safety and security of the people of the state and to assure a continuing supply of energy for future generations and that such code mandate that [economically] reasonable energy conservation techniques be used in the design and construction of all public and private buildings in the state.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09608-01-7
S. 4562 2
§ 3. Subdivision 2 of section 11-103 of the energy law, as amended by chapter 560 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
2. The state fire prevention and building code council [is authorized, from time to time as it deems appropriate and consistent with the purposes of this article, to review and amend the code, or adopt a new code, through rules and regulations provided that the code remains cost effective with respect to building construction in the state. In determining whether the code remains cost effective, the code council shall consider whether the cost of materials and their installation to meet its standards would be equal to or less than the present value of energy savings that could be expected over a ten year period in the building in which such materials are installed. For residential buildings, the code shall meet or exceed the then most recently published International Energy Conservation Code, or achieve equivalent or greater energy savings; and for commercial buildings, the code shall meet or exceed ASHRAE 90.1-2007, or achieve equivalent or greater energy savings] shall, within twelve months of the publication of each revised or updated edition of the International Energy Conservation Code or the ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, cause the state energy conservation construction code to be updated to reflect changes in any such revised or updated edition.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 and the energy law, in relation to requiring the updating of the state uniform fire prevention and building code and the state energy conservation construction code on the basis of update of certain international codes
Purpose
Directs the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council to adopt the most current version of the building, fire prevention and energy codes within 12 months of publication.
Summary of provisions
This bill would amend Article 18, Section 377 in relation to updating the State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Uniform Code) within 12 months of formal publishing by the International Code Council for the Codes currently being enforced in New York State:
International Building, Fire, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Property Maintenance Codes and the National Electrical Code published by the National Fire Protection Association.
This bill would amend Article 11, Section 101, in relation to updating the State Energy Conservation and Construction Code within 12 months of formal publishing of the International Energy Conservation Code by the International Code Council and ANSI/ASHRAE/0-,SNA Standard 90.1 as published by ASHRAE.
Justification
When states and local governments stay current with updated building codes, they encourage market-ready solutions that increases the safety, resiliency, energy-efficiency, and overall performance of homes, schools, hospitals, and other buildings. Timely adoption of model safety codes promotes private sector innovation and competition by guiding new technologies into the marketplace through the code, it increases protection and decreases reconstruction costs from damage caused by natural disasters; and protects the value of the building owners' investment.
The 2012 President's Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force was charged with the development of guidelines and recommendations of how to direct more than $20 billion in federal funding for infrastructure recovery and resilience. One of the recommendations was for states to use the most current building codes saying that "using the most current code ensures that buildings and other structures incorporate the latest science, advances in technology and lessons learned . . . These codes help ensure that more resilient structures are built and that communities are better protected from all types of hazards and disasters"
This bill will not change the authority of the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council's (Code council) authority to modify the codes for NYS specific amendments.
Legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
Since the code overhaul in 2002, money has been added to the NYS Budget to provide codes for every codes for every code enforcement official.
Effective date
This bill will take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.