NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9651A
SPONSOR: Tedisco (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation
to enacting the "safe water infrastructure action program act"
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would implement a new companion CHIPS-style drinking water and
sanitary sewer infrastructure program that would provide annual funding
to municipalities to swap out old, deteriorating pipes and water mains.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 120-dd to
read as follows:
§ 120-dd. Safe water infrastructure action program.
1. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary,
and subject to an appropriation in an amount no less than two hundred
million dollars annually made therefor and in accordance with the
provisions of this section and with the rules and regulations promulgat-
ed by the commissioner of transportation in connection therewith, on and
after the first day of April, a safe water infrastructure action program
is hereby established for the purpose of making payments toward the
maintenance and/or repair of water systems, as defined by paragraph (b)
of subdivision one of section one hundred twenty-u of this article, and
sewage systems. The commissioner of transportation, in conjunction with
the environmental facilities corporation, shall promulgate all necessary
rules and regulations to carry out the program so that an equitable
distribution of aid shall be made for the maintenance and/or repair of
any such water systems and sewage systems.
2. On or before the twenty-fifth day of April, June, September, and
November of each state fiscal year commencing with the state fiscal year
beginning on April first, two thousand seventeen there shall be distrib-
uted and paid to counties, cities, towns and villages an amount equal to
the monies appropriated for the purpose of this section divided by the
number of payment dates in that state fiscal year.
JUSTIFICATION:
Several examples of our aging infrastructure have recently been mani-
fested in the form of unsafe drinking water, transmission pipe bursts,
and sewer line collapses throughout the state.
An aging infrastructure is not only costly to our localities and a
threat to public safety; it is also an impediment to economic develop-
ment. Communities facing severe fiscal constraints cannot absorb the
financial burden of the frequent and disruptive breaks associated with
an aged and deteriorating water and sewer infrastructure.
In too many instances, our state could be throwing good money after bad
to maintain our roadways without regard to what dangers lay beneath the
surface.
Like the current CHIPS Program, the "SWAP" Program will provide our
towns and municipalities an annual funding source to maintain these
systems which in many cases are more than 100 years old.
BILL HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9651--A
IN ASSEMBLY
March 24, 2016
___________
Introduced by M. of A. TEDISCO, McLAUGHLIN, BRABENEC, BUTLER, DiPIETRO,
FRIEND, GARBARINO, GIGLIO, MONTESANO, MURRAY, NOJAY, PALMESANO, RAIA,
SALADINO, SOLAGES, WALTER, WOZNIAK, BLANKENBUSH -- Multi-Sponsored by
-- M. of A. BARCLAY, CROUCH, LAWRENCE, OAKS -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Local Governments -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to enacting the
"safe water infrastructure action program act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "safe water
2 infrastructure action program act".
3 § 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 120-
4 dd to read as follows:
5 § 120-dd. Safe water infrastructure action program. 1. Notwithstand-
6 ing any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, and subject to an
7 appropriation in an amount no less than two hundred million dollars
8 annually made therefor and in accordance with the provisions of this
9 section and with the rules and regulations promulgated by the commis-
10 sioner of transportation in connection therewith, on and after the first
11 day of April, a safe water infrastructure action program is hereby
12 established for the purpose of making payments toward the maintenance
13 and/or repair of water systems, as defined by paragraph (b) of subdivi-
14 sion one of section one hundred twenty-u of this article, and sewage
15 systems. The commissioner of transportation, in conjunction with the
16 environmental facilities corporation, shall promulgate all necessary
17 rules and regulations to carry out the program so that an equitable
18 distribution of aid shall be made for the maintenance and/or repair of
19 any such water systems and sewage systems.
20 2. On or before the twenty-fifth day of April, June, September, and
21 November of each state fiscal year commencing with the state fiscal year
22 beginning on April first, two thousand seventeen there shall be distrib-
23 uted and paid to counties, cities, towns and villages an amount equal to
24 the monies appropriated for the purpose of this section divided by the
25 number of payment dates in that state fiscal year.
26 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14669-04-6
