NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7875
SPONSOR: Simon TITLE OF BILL:
An act to direct certain state agencies to consider the right to potable
water when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations,
and grant criteria that are relevant to or affect that right
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would help ensure access to potable, affordable and accessible
water.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill requires all relevant state agencies, including
the departments of health, environmental conservation, and public
service to consider the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible
water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes
when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and
grant criteria that are relevant to or affect that right.
Section 2 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The people of the State of New York, consistent with the policy
expressed in the Water Resources Law, Environmental Conservation law
Section 15-0105, and the concurrent resolution of the Assembly and
Senate proposing an amendment to the New York State Constitution has
established the right to clean water for all New York State residents.
Access by our residents to clean, adequate, and affordable water is in
jeopardy. Tainted drinking water continues to be in the forefront of the
news. Cash strapped municipalities nationwide, including in New York,
are under pressure to privatize their water systems. The control of
water by private companies, including access and cost, is a threat to
the protection and management of water resources sustainability.
Clean, adequate, and affordable water should be available to all resi-
dents. This is threatened by privatization and the lack of sufficient
guidelines and policy. This legislation will require all relevant agen-
cies to consider the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible
water adequate for human consumption, cooking and sanitary purposes when
revising, adopting, or establishing polices, regulations, and grant
criteria pertinent to the uses of water described in this act. This will
help to protect the right to clean, adequate, and affordable water for
our residents.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A3971 Abinanti S5588 Comrie -referred to health
2019-20: A3361-A advanced to third reading, same as S5344-A (Comrie)
referred to health.
2017-18: A6803 referred to health
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
this act shall take effect immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7875
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
July 7, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health
AN ACT to direct certain state agencies to consider the right to potable
water when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations,
and grant criteria that are relevant to or affect that right
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. All relevant state agencies, including the department of
2 health, the department of environmental conservation and the department
3 of public service shall consider the right to safe, clean, affordable,
4 and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sani-
5 tary purposes when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regu-
6 lations, and grant criteria that are relevant to or affect that right.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04306-01-3
