What's happening
This bill requires the governor to mobilize the New York Guard and provide them power restoration training during major power outages.
Why it matters
Creates a legal mandate. for the governor to deploy the New York Guard during major, prolonged power outages (25,000+ customers without power for over 24 hours), ensuring a rapid and organized response rather than an optional, ad hoc one.
Expands the role of the New York Guard. beyond traditional military or emergency functions, requiring them to directly assist with utility restoration—including working with public utilities and focusing first on areas with vulnerable overhead power lines.
Requires specialized training. for all New York Guard members in electrical grid restoration, power restoration to homes and businesses, and tree removal, potentially increasing the state’s capacity to respond to widespread outages with a skilled auxiliary workforce.
Shifts some costs to utility companies. , mandating that public utilities collectively fund the power restoration training for the New York Guard, which could impact utility budgets and, indirectly, customer rates.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Train Guard for Power Outages
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to rules
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8906
IN SENATE
August 12, 2020
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring the mobilization of the New York guard for certain power outages; and to amend the military law, in relation to requiring power outage restoration training for members of the New York guard
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 73 to read as follows:
§ 73. Power outages; mobilization of New York guard. 1. The governor is directed to mobilize the New York guard when any power outage occurs in this state where a total of twenty-five thousand or more customers remain without power in any geographic area of this state after twentyfour hours from the time the power outage first occurred.
2. The purpose and objective of the mobilization of the New York guard pursuant to this section shall be to restore and aid public utility corporations in this state in the restoration of power to homes and businesses. Such mobilization shall initially concentrate on the restoration of power in areas with a high concentration of overhead power lines as determined by the governor.
3. The commissioner shall require that the cost of training members of the New York guard to carry out the provisions of this section pursuant to section one hundred seventy-one of the military law be borne collectively by public utility corporations in this state.
§ 2. The military law is amended by adding a new section 171 to read as follows:
§ 171. Training; restoration of power. Each member of the New York guard shall be required to complete training in the restoration of power to homes and businesses, electrical power grid maintenance and tree removal for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of section seventy-three of the public service law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD17104-01-0
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 service law, in relation to requiring the mobilization of the New York guard for certain power outages; and to amend the military law, in relation to requiring power outage restora- tion training for members of the New York guard
Purpose
Requires the mobilization of the New York Guard to respond to power outages lasting for more than 24 hours and affecting in excess of 25,000 people. Requires training of the New York Guard in power outage restora- tion techniques, including direct restoration, grid maintenance and tree removal.
Summary of specific provisions
Ads a new section 73 to the Public Service Law which requires the mobi- lization of the New York Guard to respond to power outages lasting for more than 24 hours and affecting in excess of 25,000 people. Adds a new section 171 to the Military Law that requires training of the New York Guard in power outage restoration techniques, including direct restora- tion, grid maintenance and tree removal.
Justification
On August 4th, Tropical Storm Isaias hit New York with heavy rain, tornadoes, and winds gusting up to 70 miles per hour. The storm left hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers without power across New York City, Long Island, Westchester and the Hudson Valley, including over 420,000 customers in the PSEG-LI service territory, 260,000 customers in the Con Edison service territory, and 90,000 customers in the NYSEG service territory. The storm also disrupted the regions' telephone, cable, and internet services; services that are particularly essential for New Yorker's during the COVID-19 pandemic. The outages and service disruptions lasted for multiple days, and in some areas of the State many homes and businesses are still waiting to be reconnected.
In an effort to better serve communities who are left without power for days or weeks at a time, we must mandate the deployment of the New York Guard during major outages and, moreover train them so they can engage in direct power restoration, grid maintenance and tree removal.
Legislative history
New bill.
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.