What's happening
This bill requires annual water, lead paint, and air quality testing in NYC Housing Authority buildings, mandates tenant notification, and imposes penalties for falsifying records.
Why it matters
Mandates stronger public health protections for NYCHA residents. by ensuring annual, comprehensive testing for water contamination (lead/copper), lead paint, and indoor air quality—issues with direct links to chronic health problems, especially among children and vulnerable populations.
Creates new transparency and accountability requirements. by obligating the Housing Authority to notify tenants when hazardous conditions are detected and to share test results with the Department of Health, empowering residents with information relevant to their safety and well-being.
Establishes clear legal liability and enforcement. by making NYCHA civilly liable for tenant health damages proven to result from lead, water, or air contamination, and by introducing criminal penalties (tampering with public records) and mandatory law enforcement referrals for employees who falsify safety records—measures likely to deter misconduct and promote compliance.
Could drive systemic changes in public housing management. by connecting routine environmental health monitoring with legal consequences and mandatory transparency, potentially prompting faster remediation of hazards and better long-term maintenance practices in NYCHA buildings.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Test NYCHA Water and Air
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Print number 5053a
- Amend (t) and recommit 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.
Test NYCHA Water and Air
In Assembly Committee · Housing · Sponsor Mathylde Frontus
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 5053--A A. 7054--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
April 4, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. FRONTUS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. EPSTEIN, RICHARDSON, WALKER, WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public housing law, in relation to water contamination, lead paint and air quality testing in New York city housing authority buildings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public housing law is amended by adding two new sections 402-e and 402-f to read as follows:
§ 402-e. Water contamination, lead paint and air quality testing. 1. The New York city housing authority shall provide for annual water testing to monitor for lead or copper contamination in the water of each building under the jurisdiction of the authority. The authority shall transmit a copy of such results to the commissioner of health. For purposes of this section, tap water shall be considered contaminated if such water exceeds the lead or copper action level based on first-draw tap samples as provided in rules and regulations of the department of health authorized under section two hundred one of the public health law.
2. The authority, in conjunction with the commissioner of health, shall conduct lead paint testing to monitor for the presence of lead paint in each building under the jurisdiction of the authority. The authority shall provide notice to all tenants where such testing indi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10903-02-9
S. 5053--A 2 A. 7054--A
cates the presence of lead paint in a building under the jurisdiction of the authority.
3. The authority, in conjunction with the commissioner of health shall be required to conduct annual indoor air quality testing to monitor for air quality in each building under the jurisdiction of the authority. The authority shall transmit a copy of such results to the commissioner of health. The authority shall provide notice to all tenants where such air quality test results exceed department of health indoor air guidelines or the occupational safety and health administration.
4. The authority shall be civilly liable for actual damages of any tenant, if it is determined that such tenant has suffered adverse health conditions caused by the indoor air quality, lead paint presence or water contamination of a building under the jurisdiction of the authority.
§ 402-f. Falsifying authority records notification. 1. The New York city housing authority shall provide information to all employees that any employee of the authority who falsifies records, including, but not limited to: (a) providing inaccurate water contamination results, lead paint test results or indoor air quality reports; (b) falsifying any signature; or (c) making a false entry in or falsely altering any record or other written instrument filed with the authority shall be guilty of tampering with public records in the second degree pursuant to section 175.20 of the penal law.
2. The authority shall refer any case of an employee falsifying records to local law enforcement.
§ 2. 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 public housing law, in relation to water contamination, lead paint and air quality testing in New York city housing authority buildings
Purpose or general idea of bill
To improve the frequency of paint, water and air quality testing in NYCHA buildings, in order to prevent lead and other containments from adversely affecting the health of the residents.
Summary of provisions
Adds two new sections to the Public Housing Law, 402-e and 402-f, that would require annual water and paint testing to monitor for lead or copper contamination, and to conduct annual indoor air quality testing to monitor for air quality in each building under the jurisdiction of the New York City Housing Authority.
Difference between original and amended version (if applicable)
Amended version includes testing for lead paint in addition to air and water testing.
Justification
Lead and other containments found in paint and drinking water have been proven to adversely affect mental and physical development in children including developmental delays, damage to the nervous system, kidneys, and decreased bone and muscle growth. Additionally, poor air quality, including the growth of different molds, can negatively affect the health of apartment residents which can lead to infections, and develop- ment of chronic lung diseases such as asthma. This bill requires that water and air quality is tested annually in all buildings under the authority of NYCHA, leading to better awareness and treatment of danger- ous water and air conditions that can negatively affect the health of all residents.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None
Effective date
Immediate
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.