What's happening
This bill imposes a civil penalty of up to $7,500 on building owners if illegal alterations impede emergency egress.
Why it matters
Targets building safety by penalizing owners who allow or ignore illegal alterations that block or hinder emergency exits. this can motivate proactive maintenance and compliance, potentially reducing injuries or fatalities during emergencies.
Applies not only to owners with direct knowledge, but also those who “should have had knowledge,”. expanding liability and encouraging more rigorous oversight of properties, especially among absentee or inattentive landlords.
The civil penalty of up to $7,500 per violation creates a significant financial deterrent,. which may encourage owners to address unsafe modifications quickly and prevent future violations.
Strengthens enforcement of the state’s fire and building codes,. potentially leading to safer living and working conditions for tenants and the public by holding building owners more accountable for code compliance.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fine Unsafe Building Owners
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
History
- Approval memo.39
- Signed chap.333
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.224
- Substituted for A3343
- Referred to governmental operations
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 55–5
- Ordered to third reading cal.387
- Reported and committed to rules
Show 2 earlier actions
- 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.
Increase Fire Safety Penalties
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Kenneth Zebrowski
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1714
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- 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 violations of the uniform fire prevention and building code
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 382 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. Where a building has been altered in violation of any provision of the uniform code or any lawful order obtained thereunder, and such alteration impedes a person's egress from such building during a fire or other emergency evacuation, the owner of such building who has knowledge of such alteration or should have had knowledge of such alteration shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to seven thousand five hundred dollars.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01596-01-9
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 violations of the uniform fire prevention and building code
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to create penalties on building owners of up to $7,500 for violations of the uniform fire prevention and building code that impede egress during a fire or other emergency evacuation.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. amends section 382 of the executive law by adding a new subdivision 4 which provides that that a civil penalty can be imposed on building owners who knowingly violated any provisions of the uniform code or any lawful order obtained thereunder which impedes a person's egress from such building during a fire or other emergency evacuation.
Section 2. is the enacting clause.
Justification
In recent years, there has been a proliferation of buildings that have been altered in ways that create dangerous situations for both tenants and first responders. These building alterations can impede egress from the building and prevent a safe evacuation during emergencies. In many instances, these unsafe conditions have placed residents and firefight- ers at serious risk of injury or death. This bill seeks to enhance penalties that may be imposed for creating these unsafe conditions.
Fiscal implications
None to the state
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.