What's happening
This bill requires SUNY and CUNY to study fire safety and retrofit all dormitory buildings with sprinkler systems within three years.
Why it matters
Addresses a critical safety gap. by requiring a comprehensive assessment of fire safety equipment (not just sprinklers, but also extinguishers and alarms) in all student-occupied buildings, including fraternities, sororities, labs, and recreational facilities, not just dorms.
Mandates a clear timeline and accountability. for SUNY and CUNY to both study existing risks and actually implement sprinkler retrofits, ensuring that action (not just planning) is completed within three years of each institution’s plan adoption.
Could significantly impact student safety and peace of mind. , particularly in older or historic buildings that may lack modern fire protection, potentially saving lives and reducing property damage.
May result in significant financial and logistical challenges. for universities, as they must assess, budget for, and retrofit a wide variety of building types, which could influence tuition, fees, or campus operations during upgrades.
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 Sprinklers to College Dorms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
66
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ENGLE- BRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring SUNY and CUNY authorities to install and retrofit dormitory buildings with sprinkler systems
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The board of trustees of the state university of New York, the board of trustees of the city university of New York and the council of governing boards for the independent colleges of New York shall conduct a study concerning the safety of New York state college students in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, laboratories, physical education facilities, dining facilities, educational facilities and recreational facilities. This study shall include information including, but not limited to, the number and percentage of buildings without adequate fire extinguishment equipment including, but not limited to, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, fire hoses and smoke alarms. Additionally, an analysis of the cost of retrofitting existing facilities with sprinkler systems must be provided along with a plan and time schedule for the completion of such retrofitting. A report containing the information required by this section shall be submitted to the governor and the legislature not later than December 1, 2021.
§ 2. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
20. Plan for providing fire safety. The board of trustees of the state university of New York shall adopt rules requiring that each institution of the state university, on or before March first, two thousand twentytwo, adopt and implement a plan to cause all buildings under the jurisdiction of such institution containing dormitory facilities for student use to be constructed or retrofitted with a system of piping and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01963-01-9
A. 66 2
appurtenances, designed and installed in accordance with generally accepted standards so that heat from a fire will automatically cause water to be discharged over such fire area to extinguish it or prevent its further spread. All retrofitting shall be completed within a three year period from the date any such plan is adopted.
§ 3. Section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
20. The board of trustees of the city university of New York shall adopt rules requiring that each institution of the city university, on or before March first, two thousand twenty-two, adopt and implement a plan to cause all buildings under the jurisdiction of such institution containing dormitory facilities for student use to be constructed or retrofitted with a system of piping and appurtenances, designed and installed in accordance with generally accepted standards so that heat from a fire will automatically cause water to be discharged over such fire area to extinguish it or prevent its further spread. All retrofitting shall be completed within a three year period from the date any such plan is adopted.
§ 4. 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.