What's happening
This bill creates a three-day sales tax holiday each year for water-conserving and WaterSense products in New York.
Why it matters
Encourages water conservation at home. By making water-saving products temporarily tax-free, the bill incentivizes New Yorkers to adopt more efficient irrigation, landscaping, and plumbing technologies, potentially reducing residential water usage and utility bills.
Targets both outdoor and indoor water use. Eligible items include not only WaterSense-labeled faucets and toilets, but also outdoor products like rain barrels, drip irrigation systems, and permeable ground covers—addressing water conservation comprehensively.
Promotes environmentally responsible choices. Supporting products that reduce water waste and increase groundwater recharge can help communities adapt to climate variability, support local ecosystems, and decrease the strain on municipal water infrastructure.
Aligns with federal standards. By referencing the EPA’s WaterSense program, the bill ensures that eligible products meet recognized efficiency criteria, giving consumers confidence in the effectiveness of their purchases.
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Tax Holiday for Water Savers
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History
- Referred to ways and means
- Referred to ways and means
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.
Tax Holiday for Water-Saving Goods
In Senate Committee · Budget And Revenue · Sponsor Todd Kaminsky
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8768
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
November 25, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to establishing a sales tax holiday for water-conserving and WaterSense products
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 1115 of the tax law is amended by adding a new paragraph 45 to read as follows:
(45) water-conserving products and WaterSense products during the three-day period each year commencing on the Saturday immediately preceding the last Monday in May, known as Memorial day, and ending on the last Monday of May. For the purposes of this paragraph:
(A) "water-conserving product" shall mean tangible personal property:
(i) used or planted on private residential property that is not used for commercial or business use;
(ii) which when used or planted in an outdoor residential property, may result in (a) water conservation or groundwater retention; (b) water table recharge; or (c) a decrease in ambient air temperature that limits water evaporation; and
(iii) water-conserving product shall include, but not be limited to: a soaker or drip-irrigation hose; soil moisture-based control technologies; weather-based irrigation controllers; mulch, or similar soil toppings or ground covers used for water conservation; a rain barrel or an alternative rain and moisture collection system; or a permeable ground cover surface, other than living grass, that allows water to reach underground basins, aquifers, or water collection points.
(B) "WaterSense product" shall mean a product that has been designated as a WaterSense certified product under the WaterSense program operated by the United States environmental protection agency, or a similar successor program.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13860-01-9
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.