What's happening
This bill repeals the eight-year limit on the effectiveness of Environmental Control Board judgments in New York City.
Why it matters
Removes expiration on unpaid fines. By repealing the eight-year limit, outstanding Environmental Control Board (ECB) judgments (such as fines for building, health, or sanitation violations) will no longer automatically expire, allowing the city to pursue collection indefinitely.
Increases financial pressure on violators. Property owners, businesses, and individuals with old, unpaid ECB fines could face increased enforcement and collection efforts, potentially including liens, wage garnishments, or impacts on property sales.
Potential for increased city revenue. The city could collect more revenue from long-overdue fines, which may have previously gone uncollected after the eight-year period lapsed.
Raises fairness and administrative questions. The change could be seen as making the penalty system harsher, possibly impacting people who assumed their debts were no longer collectible, and could complicate record-keeping and legal certainty regarding old violations.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Judgment Time Limit
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to cities 1
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.534
- Referred to cities 1
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.
Remove Judgment Time Limits
In Assembly Committee · Cities · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1146
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities 1
AN ACT to repeal certain provisions of the New York city charter relating to the eight year limitation on the effectiveness of judgments of the environmental control board
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph 1 of subdivision d of section 1049-a of the New York city charter is REPEALED.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02224-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to repeal certain provisions of the New York city charter relat- ing to the eight year limitation on the effectiveness of judgments of the environmental control board
Purpose or general idea of bill
To repeal the eight year limitation on judgments made by the Environ- mental Control Board
Summary of provisions
Section 1 repeals subparagraph (i) of paragraph 1 of subdivision d of section 1049-a of the New York city charter.
Section 2 states the effective date.
Justification
The New York City Environmental Control Board has jurisdiction over a number of rules and regulations related to protecting the public's health and safety and ensuring it has a clean environment. This can include violations such as dirty sidewalks, lack of sufficient refriger- ation in restaurants, and completing construction activities at imper- missible days or times. However, it also includes violations on build- ings including illegal conversions and lack of sufficient heating/cooling. Currently, the law states that a judgment made by the board pursuant to these issues is in effect for only eight years, after which the individual is no longer responsible for the fine or other judgment. This means that there is no holding building owners account- able for failing to meet quality of life standards for renters, tenants, and consumers.
It is a struggle for many to find safe and habitable living conditions, and allowing individuals to skirt their responsibilities to keep their properties up to code is unacceptable. New Yorkers should have as much protection as possible and bad faith actors should be held accountable. In repealing the relevant subsection, this bill removes the statute of limitations on judgments by the Board so that negligent property owners and other individuals are forced to correct health and safety violations that remain after eight years.
Prior legislative history
2024: S268 - Referred to Cities 1
2023: S268 - Died on Third Reading
2022: S9519 - Referred to Rules
Fiscal implications
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.