What's happening
This bill expands municipal sustainable energy loan programs to include new construction and clarifies definitions for energy efficiency and renewable energy systems.
Why it matters
Expands access to financing for new construction. By allowing municipal sustainable energy loan programs to fund improvements incorporated into new buildings (not just retrofits), this bill makes it easier for developers to build energy-efficient structures from the ground up.
Clarifies which property types are eligible. The new definition of "real property" ensures that any property interest recordable by the possessor is eligible, potentially broadening the pool of properties that can participate in these loan programs.
Strengthens oversight and standards. The bill maintains that contractors conducting energy audits or renewable energy feasibility studies must be certified under strict statewide criteria (or equally stringent local standards), which helps ensure high-quality, reliable assessments for property owners considering upgrades.
Promotes broader adoption of renewable energy systems. By updating and clarifying the definitions for "energy efficiency improvements" and "renewable energy systems," the bill could make it easier for property owners to understand their options and for municipalities to support a wider range of clean energy technologies.
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
Expand Energy Loan Programs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Signed chap.184
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.309
- Substituted for A7805C
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.798
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 6523a
Show 3 earlier actions
- Amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to rules
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.
Expand Green Building Loans
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Michael Cusick
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6523--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 14, 2019
Introduced by Sens. PARKER, HARCKHAM, MAYER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules -recommitted to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to municipal sustainable energy loan programs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 119-ff of the general municipal law, as added by chapter 497 of the laws of 2009, subdivision 6 as amended by chapter 320 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
§ 119-ff. Definitions. For purposes of this article:
1. "Authority" means the New York state energy research and development authority, as defined by subdivision two of section eighteen hundred fifty-one of the public authorities law, or its successor.
2. "Credit support" means and includes direct loans, letters of credit, loan guarantees, and insurance products; and the purchase of or commitment to purchase, or the sale of or commitment to sell, debt instruments, including subordinated securities.
3. "Energy audit" means a formal evaluation of the energy consumption of a permanent building or structural improvement to real property, conducted by a contractor certified by the authority, or certified by a certifying entity approved by the authority for purposes of this article, for the purpose of identifying appropriate energy efficiency improvements that could be made to or incorporated into the construction of the property. A municipal corporation may, by local law, provide for the certification of such contractors based upon criteria at least as stringent as the state-wide criteria for certification adopted by the authority for purposes of this article.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11333-10-0
S. 6523--A 2
4. "Energy efficiency improvement" means [and includes] any improvement to real property, whether as a component of the new construction of a building or as the renovation or retrofitting of [a] an existing building to reduce energy consumption, such as window and door replacement, lighting, caulking, weatherstripping, air sealing, insulation, and heating and cooling system upgrades, and similar improvements, determined to be cost-effective pursuant to criteria established by the authority. However, "energy efficiency improvement" shall not include lighting measures or household appliances that are not permanently fixed to real property.
5. "Municipal corporation" means a county, town, city or village.
6. "Real property" means any property, an interest in which is or is eligible to be recorded or registered on municipal land ownership records by the possessor of such interest.
7. "Renewable energy system" means an energy generating system for the generation of electric or thermal energy, to be used primarily at such property, except when the owner of real property is a commercial entity, by means of solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, anaerobic digester gas-to-electricity systems, fuel cell technologies, or other renewable energy technology approved by the authority not including the combustion or pyrolysis of solid waste.
[7.] 8. "Renewable energy system feasibility study" means a written study, conducted by a contractor certified by the authority, or certified by a certifying entity approved by the authority for purposes of this article, for the purpose of determining the feasibility of installing a renewable energy system. A municipal corporation may, by local law, provide for the certification of such contractors based upon criteria at least as stringent as the state-wide criteria for certification adopted by the authority for purposes of this article.
§ 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 general municipal law, in relation to municipal sustainable energy loan programs
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation will allow sustainable energy loan programs as author- ized by the general municipal law to be used for new construction.
Summary of provisions
Sections 1: Amends the general municipal law to allow sustainable energy loan programs to be utilized for new construction.
Section 2: The effective date.
Justification
Currently, general municipal law allows for sustainable energy loan programs that could significantly increase the adoption of clean energy by property owners while helping to achieve New York State's renewable energy and energy efficiency goals. Similar to how sidewalks, sewers, water systems, and other local public projects are financed via assess- ments or charges placed on improved property, sustainable energy loan programs facilitate the improvement of property with lowered pollution, reduced carbon emissions, and lowered energy costs. These investments in turn improve the local community by revitalizing buildings and advancing a clean energy economy. In its current form, general municipal law denies these benefits to new construction. Oftentimes the latest and most efficient equipment is sacrificed to keep up-front costs of a new construction project low. This has the effect of passing on the result- ing higher costs of energy, emissions, and pollution to future owners and the wider community. Amending the general municipal law to permit financing for energy related improvements in new construction will enable property owners and the professionals involved with designing, engineering, and constructing the new building stock of New York to incorporate the most efficient equipment and infrastructure. Moreover, implementing such measures in new construction will accelerate their incorporation into retrofit and rehabilitation projects as technologies are proven and achieve scale. This amendment will directly support reducing the future direct and indirect costs of the use of energy while supporting the stated goals and policy of the existing statute.
Prior legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None.
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.