What's happening
This bill requires state agencies to consider the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water in relevant policymaking.
Why it matters
Strengthens Water Protections. By requiring agencies to consider the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water, the bill may lead to stronger protections and higher standards for drinking water, sanitation, and related infrastructure.
Impacts Policy and Funding Decisions. State agencies must now factor this right into policy, regulatory, and grant-making processes, potentially shifting priorities and funding toward projects that improve water access and quality.
Focuses on Vulnerable Communities. The requirement to consider affordability and accessibility may especially benefit low-income or marginalized communities that have historically faced barriers to safe water, helping to address environmental justice concerns.
Establishes a Legal Basis for Advocacy. With this right formally recognized in agency decision-making, it could empower residents and advocacy groups to hold the state accountable for ensuring water quality and access, possibly influencing future legal or administrative actions.
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Who cares
Department of Health
The bill would require the agency to consider the right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water when setting relevant policies, regulations and grant criteria.
Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Public Service
Both agencies would have to weigh that water right when revising or establishing policies, regulations and grant criteria that affect it.
New Yorkers facing unsafe, unaffordable or inaccessible drinking water
The bill would require relevant state agencies to consider their right to adequate water for drinking, cooking and sanitary purposes.
Headline styles
Guarantee Clean Drinking Water
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Advanced to third reading cal.472
- Reported
- Print number 3361a
- Amend (t) and recommit to health
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
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.
Guarantee Clean Drinking Water
In Senate Committee · Health · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3361--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI, DeSTEFANO, SCHMITT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to direct certain state agencies to consider the right to potable water when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant criteria that are relevant to or affect that right
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. All relevant state agencies, including the department of health, the department of environmental conservation and the department of public service shall consider the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant criteria that are relevant to or affect that right.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05140-03-0
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.