•  Summary 
  •  
  •  Actions 
  •  
  •  Committee Votes 
  •  
  •  Floor Votes 
  •  
  •  Memo 
  •  
  •  Text 
  •  
  •  LFIN 
  •  
  •  Chamber Video/Transcript 

A01262 Summary:

BILL NOA01262
 
SAME ASSAME AS S03821
 
SPONSORShrestha
 
COSPNSRGonzalez-Rojas, Gallagher, Reyes, Raga, Forrest, Epstein, Simone, Bichotte Hermelyn, Mamdani, Burdick
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Add §99-ss, St Fin L; add §1885, Pub Auth L; amd §1-103, add Art 22 §§22-101 - 22-107, Energy L; amd §10-b, Emerg Ten Prot Act of 1974; amd Cor L, generally; amd §606, Tax L; amd §§371, 376 & 382, desig Art 13 §260 to be Title 1, add Title 1 Head, Title 2 §§260-a - 260-d, Exec L; add §219-b, amd §811, Lab L
 
Enacts the "Livable New York act" to fight back against climate change, provide additional affordable housing and provide employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals; makes a three billion dollar appropriation therefor.
Go to top

A01262 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          1262
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     January 9, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. SHRESTHA, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, GALLAGHER, REYES, RAGA,
          FORREST,  EPSTEIN, SIMONE, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, MAMDANI, BURDICK -- read
          once and referred to the Committee on Housing
 
        AN ACT to amend the state finance law, the public authorities  law,  the
          energy  law,  the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-
          four, the correction law, the tax law, the executive law and the labor
          law, in relation to enacting the Livable New York act; and  making  an
          appropriation therefor
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
     2  the "Livable New York act".
     3    §  2.  Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds that all New
     4  Yorkers deserve a livable future. To effectuate this  future,  New  York
     5  must  act quickly to fight back against climate change and provide addi-
     6  tional affordable housing.
     7    § 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ss to
     8  read as follows:
     9    § 99-ss. Livable New York fund. 1. There is hereby established in  the
    10  joint  custody of the commissioner of taxation and finance and the state
    11  comptroller a special fund to be known as the "livable New York fund".
    12    2. The comptroller shall establish the following separate and distinct
    13  accounts within the livable New York fund:
    14    (a) energy efficiency transition account; and
    15    (b) housing and code enforcement account.
    16    3. (a) The livable New York fund energy efficiency transition  account
    17  shall  consist  of moneys appropriated, credited, or transferred thereto
    18  from any other fund or source pursuant to law.  Moneys  of  the  account
    19  shall  be expended for the purposes of providing benefits to help exist-
    20  ing housing units transition to high energy efficiency appliances.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00538-01-5

        A. 1262                             2
 
     1    (b) The livable New York fund housing  and  code  enforcement  account
     2  shall  consist  of moneys appropriated, credited, or transferred thereto
     3  from any other fund or source pursuant to law.  Moneys  of  the  account
     4  shall  be  expended  for the purposes of providing funding for a housing
     5  development  subsidy set forth pursuant to title two of article thirteen
     6  of the executive law, as well as making funding available for localities
     7  to use for code enforcement, and any other such purposes as provided for
     8  by law.
     9    4. Moneys in the livable New York fund shall be kept separate from and
    10  shall not be commingled with any other moneys  in  the  custody  of  the
    11  comptroller  or  the  commissioner  of  taxation  and finance. Provided,
    12  however, that any moneys of the fund not required for immediate use may,
    13  at the discretion of the comptroller, in consultation with the  director
    14  of the division of budget, be invested by the comptroller in obligations
    15  of  the  United States or the state. The proceeds of any such investment
    16  shall be retained by the fund as assets to be used for the  purposes  of
    17  the fund.
    18    §  4.  The  public  authorities law is amended by adding a new section
    19  1885 to read as follows:
    20    § 1885. Energy efficiency transition program.  1.  The  authority,  in
    21  consultation  with  the  department of public service, shall establish a
    22  program to aid in the transition of all existing housing  units  heating
    23  and  cooling  from  reliance on combusting oil and gas, to electric heat
    24  pumps and other high energy efficiency upgrades, systems and services.
    25    2. Using funds made available from the livable New York  fund  as  set
    26  forth  in section ninety-nine-ss of the state finance law, the authority
    27  shall ensure that any building or household existing in a  disadvantaged
    28  community,  as  such  term is defined in section 75-0101 of the environ-
    29  mental conservation  law,  or  buildings  housing  formerly-incarcerated
    30  individuals, with a priority to buildings owned by low-income homeowners
    31  or rented to low-income tenants, shall be eligible for full-cost funding
    32  for  the  procurement and installation of equipment to be compliant with
    33  the energy efficiency standards set forth under section  11-104  of  the
    34  energy  law,  including  the  procurement and installation of non-fossil
    35  fuel heating and cooling and hot water systems  and  other  high  energy
    36  efficiency  systems,  including electrical panel and wiring upgrades and
    37  induction or electric stoves. For purposes of this paragraph,  installa-
    38  tion  shall  also include bringing eligible housing into a state of good
    39  repair.
    40    3. Using funds made available from the livable New York  fund  as  set
    41  forth  in section ninety-nine-ss of the state finance law, the authority
    42  shall create a program to pay up to fifty thousand dollars per unit  for
    43  any  privately owned residential housing for the procurement and instal-
    44  lation of equipment to be compliant with the energy efficiency standards
    45  set forth under section 11-104 of the energy law, including the procure-
    46  ment and installation of non-fossil fuel heating  and  cooling  and  hot
    47  water  systems and other high energy efficiency systems, including elec-
    48  trical panel and wiring upgrades and induction or  electric  stoves,  as
    49  well as to ensure that such housing is in a state of good repair.
    50    4.  Using  funds  made available from the livable New York fund as set
    51  forth in section ninety-nine-ss of the state finance law, the  authority
    52  shall  subsidize  the  procurement  and  installation of equipment to be
    53  compliant with the energy efficiency standards set forth  under  section
    54  11-104  of the energy law, including the procurement and installation of
    55  non-fossil fuel heating and cooling and hot water systems and other high
    56  energy efficiency systems, for all public housing units  throughout  the

        A. 1262                             3
 
     1  state,  as  well  as  to  ensure that such housing is in a state of good
     2  repair.
     3    5.  Using  funds  made available from the livable New York fund as set
     4  forth in section ninety-nine-ss of the state finance law, the  authority
     5  shall  establish  affordability  programs to pay any additional costs of
     6  utility bills in order to ensure that no low-to-moderate  income  house-
     7  holds face a higher cost for heating and cooling that may be incurred as
     8  a  result  of conversion to electric heat pumps and/or other high energy
     9  efficiency equipment for heating and cooling. For the purposes  of  this
    10  paragraph "low-to-moderate income households" shall mean households with
    11  annual  incomes  at or below eighty percent of the area median income of
    12  the county or metro area where they reside.
    13    6. (a) The authority shall promulgate requirements for eligibility  to
    14  receive  funds under this program which prohibit buildings from initiat-
    15  ing eviction proceedings, fail to renew a lease  or  otherwise  seek  to
    16  remove a tenant from housing accommodation, except:
    17    (i) in situations of non-payment of rent;
    18    (ii)  where  the  tenant  is violating a substantial obligation of the
    19  tenancy and has failed to cure such violation within ten days;
    20    (iii) where the tenant is committing or permitting a nuisance  in  the
    21  housing accommodation;
    22    (iv) where the tenant's occupancy or use or permitted use of the hous-
    23  ing accommodation is in violation of the law; or
    24    (v) where the tenant has unreasonably refused the landlord's access to
    25  the housing accommodation for the purpose of making repairs and improve-
    26  ments.
    27    (b) A rent increase is presumed to be unreasonable and, therefore, not
    28  a basis for eviction, if it exceeds either three percent of the previous
    29  rental  amount or one and one-half times the annual percentage change in
    30  the consumer price index for the relevant region, whichever is higher.
    31    7. The authority shall  promulgate  requirements  for  eligibility  to
    32  receive  funds  under  this  program  over fifty thousand dollars, which
    33  include that all work done in the procurement and installation  of  non-
    34  fossil  fuel  heating systems on state-owned properties or in properties
    35  that receive subsidies from the state shall be considered  public  work,
    36  subject  to articles eight and nine of the labor law and shall utilize a
    37  project labor agreement. For  purposes  of  this  subdivision,  "project
    38  labor  agreement"  shall mean a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement
    39  between the authority, or a third party on behalf of the authority,  and
    40  a  bona  fide  building and construction trade labor organization estab-
    41  lishing the labor organization as the  collective  bargaining  represen-
    42  tative  for  all persons who will perform work on a public work project,
    43  and which provides that only contractors and subcontractors who  sign  a
    44  pre-negotiated agreement with the labor organization can perform project
    45  work. All contractors and subcontractors associated with this work shall
    46  be  required  to utilize apprenticeship agreements as defined by article
    47  twenty-three of the labor law.
    48    8. The authority, in consultation with the department  of  corrections
    49  and community supervision, shall promulgate requirements for eligibility
    50  to  receive  funds  under  this program over fifty thousand dollars, all
    51  work done in the procurement and installation of non-fossil fuel heating
    52  systems on state-owned properties or in properties that  receive  subsi-
    53  dies  from  the  state  shall,  to the greatest extent possible, provide
    54  training and hiring of formerly incarcerated individuals.
    55    9. (a) Nothing in this program shall alter the rights or benefits, and
    56  privileges, including, but  not  limited  to  terms  and  conditions  of

        A. 1262                             4
 
     1  employment, civil service status, and collective bargaining unit member-
     2  ship, of any current employees of the authority.
     3    (b)  Nothing  in  this  program  shall  result  in: (i) the discharge,
     4  displacement, or loss of position, including partial  displacement  such
     5  as  a  reduction in the hours of non-overtime work, wages, or employment
     6  benefits; (ii) the impairment of existing collective  bargaining  agree-
     7  ments; or (iii) the transfer of existing duties and functions.
     8    10.  No  later  than  December  first,  two  thousand twenty-five, the
     9  authority shall determine the minimum energy  efficiency  standards  for
    10  buildings.
    11    11.  The authority shall issue relevant guidance regarding changes set
    12  forth in subdivisions seven and eight of section 11-104  of  the  energy
    13  law, including programs offered by the authority that will provide fund-
    14  ing  to  assist  with  compliance  with such subdivisions. The authority
    15  shall make such information available by engaging and paying for  large-
    16  scale   advertising,   mailings,   door-to-door   canvassing,  community
    17  outreach, programming in schools, and anything else the authority  deems
    18  necessary  and reasonable to ensure the public is fully aware and that a
    19  wide understanding that such programs exist is achieved in the public in
    20  all regions and demographics of the state.
    21    § 5. Subdivisions 2 and 4 of section  1-103  of  the  energy  law,  as
    22  amended  by  chapter  83  of  the  laws  of 1995, are amended to read as
    23  follows:
    24    2. "Office" as used in sections 5-108,  5-111,  5-113,  and  5-117  of
    25  article five and articles six, seven, eight [and], ten and twenty-two of
    26  this  chapter shall mean the New York state energy research and develop-
    27  ment authority established pursuant  to  article  eight  of  the  public
    28  authorities law.
    29    4. "Commissioner"  as  used in sections 5-108, 5-111, 5-113, and 5-117
    30  of article five and articles six, seven, eight [and], ten and twenty-two
    31  of this chapter shall mean the president of the New  York  state  energy
    32  research and development authority.
    33    §  6.  The energy law is amended by adding a new article 22 to read as
    34  follows:
 
    35                                 ARTICLE 22
    36                    BUILDING ENERGY AND EMISSIONS LIMITS
    37  Section 22-101. Purpose.
    38          22-103. Emissions limits in buildings under ten thousand  square
    39                    feet.
    40          22-105. Emissions  limits  in buildings ten thousand square feet
    41                    and larger.
    42          22-107. Exemptions.
    43    § 22-101. Purpose. In furtherance of the policy set forth by  the  New
    44  York state climate leadership and community protection act, the legisla-
    45  ture hereby directs that building energy and emissions limits be adopted
    46  to  protect  the  health, safety and security of the people of the state
    47  and to assure that clean energy is used in design  and  construction  of
    48  all public and private buildings in the state, as well as to further the
    49  economic  development  of  the  state,  including  the creation of good,
    50  career-supporting jobs and to lower utility bills through  energy  effi-
    51  ciency.
    52    §  22-103.  Emissions  limits  in  buildings under ten thousand square
    53  feet. 1. After December thirty-first, two  thousand  thirty,  no  person
    54  shall  be permitted to replace systems using combustion of any substance
    55  for heating or cooling or providing hot water for a building  under  ten

        A. 1262                             5
 
     1  thousand  square  feet  with  anything that causes the combustion of any
     2  substance that emits twenty-five kilograms or more of carbon dioxide per
     3  million British thermal units of energy, as  determined  by  the  United
     4  States energy information administration.
     5    2. Notwithstanding the prohibition in subdivision one of this section,
     6  combustion  of  a  substance  that emits twenty-five kilograms of carbon
     7  dioxide per million British thermal units of energy  or  more  shall  be
     8  permitted  for  use  within such a building where the combustion of such
     9  substance occurs in connection with a device that contains no connection
    10  to a building's gas supply line or fuel oil piping system, is used on an
    11  intermittent basis, and is not used to  supply  a  building  with  heat,
    12  cooling or hot water.
    13    §  22-105.  Emissions limits in buildings ten thousand square feet and
    14  larger. 1. After December thirty-first,  two  thousand  thirty-five,  no
    15  person  shall  be  permitted  to replace systems using combustion of any
    16  substance for heating or cooling or providing hot water for  a  building
    17  ten  thousand  square  feet  or  larger  with  anything  that causes the
    18  combustion of any substance that emits twenty-five kilograms or more  of
    19  carbon  dioxide  per  million British thermal units of energy, as deter-
    20  mined by the United States energy information administration.
    21    2. Notwithstanding the prohibition in subdivision one of this section,
    22  combustion of a substance that emits  twenty-five  kilograms  of  carbon
    23  dioxide  per  million  British  thermal units of energy or more shall be
    24  permitted for use within such a building where the  combustion  of  such
    25  substance occurs in connection with a device that contains no connection
    26  to a building's gas supply line or fuel oil piping system, is used on an
    27  intermittent  basis,  and  is  not  used to supply a building with heat,
    28  cooling or hot water.
    29    § 22-107. Exemptions. 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of this  arti-
    30  cle,  the  state  fire  prevention  and building code council may exempt
    31  systems for emergency back-up heating, but in doing  so  shall  seek  to
    32  minimize  emissions and maximize health, safety, and fire-protection. In
    33  such cases, the New York state uniform fire prevention and building code
    34  shall limit the infrastructure, building systems, or equipment used  for
    35  the  combustion of fossil fuels to the system and area of a building for
    36  which a prohibition on infrastructure, building  systems,  or  equipment
    37  used  for  the  combustion of fossil fuels is infeasible. To the fullest
    38  extent feasible, the code shall require that the area or service  within
    39  the  project  where  infrastructure, building systems, or equipment used
    40  for the combustion of fossil fuels are installed shall  be  all-electric
    41  ready.  Financial considerations shall not be sufficient basis to deter-
    42  mine  physical  or  technical  infeasibility.    Exemptions  or  waivers
    43  provided under this subdivision shall be reviewed during each major code
    44  update cycle to determine whether they are still needed.
    45    2.  The  provisions  set  forth  in sections 22-103 and 22-105 of this
    46  article shall not be construed as applying to  generation  of  emergency
    47  back-up  power  and standby power systems, or in a building or part of a
    48  building that is used  as  a  manufacturing  facility,  commercial  food
    49  establishment, laboratory, car wash, laundromat, hospital, other medical
    50  facility, critical infrastructure, including but not limited to emergen-
    51  cy  management  facilities,  wastewater  treatment facilities, and water
    52  treatment and  pumping  facilities,  agricultural  building,  fuel  cell
    53  system,  or  crematorium,  as  such  terms are defined by the state fire
    54  prevention and building code council.
    55    3. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted or otherwise construed
    56  as  preempting  a  municipality  from  prohibiting  fossil-fuel  heating

        A. 1262                             6
 
     1  systems or setting their own emissions standards, provided that any such
     2  municipal  standard require deeper reductions in emissions at equivalent
     3  or earlier dates.
     4    §  7.  Subdivision  (a) of section 10-b of section 4 of chapter 576 of
     5  the laws of 1974, constituting the emergency tenant  protection  act  of
     6  nineteen  seventy-four,  is amended by adding a new paragraph 14 to read
     7  as follows:
     8    14. prohibit temporary major capital improvement increases  and  indi-
     9  vidual  apartment improvement increases for buildings undertaking energy
    10  efficiency, boiler, furnace, stove replacements, electrical panel, elec-
    11  trical wiring or related work stemming from  adherence  to  requirements
    12  pursuant to article twenty-two of the energy law.
    13    § 8. Subdivision 3 of section 170 of the correction law, as amended by
    14  chapter 322 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
    15    3.  Notwithstanding  any other provision of law, an incarcerated indi-
    16  vidual may be permitted to leave the institution under guard  to  volun-
    17  tarily  perform  work  for  a nonprofit organization; provided that each
    18  incarcerated individual who volunteers to perform work for  a  nonprofit
    19  organization  shall be paid a minimum hourly wage of not less than three
    20  dollars. The department shall be entitled to charge the nonprofit organ-
    21  ization a reasonable hourly rate for meals and housing of such incarcer-
    22  ated individuals, if any.  As used in this section, the term  "nonprofit
    23  organization"  means an organization operated exclusively for religious,
    24  charitable, or educational purposes, no part  of  the  net  earnings  of
    25  which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.
    26    §  9.  Section  171  of  the correction law is amended by adding a new
    27  subdivision 3 to read as follows:
    28    3. Any incarcerated individual performing labor as described  in  this
    29  section  shall  be  compensated  for  their labor in accordance with the
    30  provisions of subdivision five of section one  hundred  eighty-seven  of
    31  this article.
    32    §  10.  Subdivision  7 of section 177 of the correction law, as renum-
    33  bered by chapter 256 of the laws of 2010, is  renumbered  subdivision  8
    34  and a new subdivision 7 is added to read as follows:
    35    7.  Any  incarcerated individual performing labor as described in this
    36  section shall be compensated for their  labor  in  accordance  with  the
    37  provisions  of  subdivision  five of section one hundred eighty-seven of
    38  this article.
    39    § 11. Section 178 of the correction law, as amended by chapter 322  of
    40  the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
    41    §  178.  Participation in work release and other community activities.
    42  1. Nothing contained in this article shall be construed or applied so as
    43  to prohibit private employment of incarcerated individuals in the commu-
    44  nity under a work release program, or a residential  treatment  facility
    45  program formulated pursuant to any provision of this chapter.
    46    2.  Any  incarcerated  individual who is employed under a work release
    47  program or a residential treatment facility program formulated  pursuant
    48  to any provision of this chapter shall be compensated for their labor in
    49  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  subdivision  five  of section one
    50  hundred eighty-seven of this article.
    51    § 12. Section 184 of the correction law is amended  by  adding  a  new
    52  subdivision 3 to read as follows:
    53    3.  Any  incarcerated  individual performing work as described in this
    54  section shall be compensated for their  labor  in  accordance  with  the
    55  provisions  of  subdivision  five of section one hundred eighty-seven of
    56  this article.

        A. 1262                             7
 
     1    § 13. Section 186 of the correction law is amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  subdivision 5 to read as follows:
     3    5. Any service performed by an incarcerated individual as described in
     4  this  section  shall be compensated in accordance with the provisions of
     5  subdivision five of section one hundred eighty-seven of this article.
     6    § 14. Section 187 of the correction law is amended  by  adding  a  new
     7  subdivision 5 to read as follows:
     8    5.  Notwithstanding  any  provision  of law, rule or regulation to the
     9  contrary, no incarcerated individual shall be compensated an amount that
    10  is less than the minimum wage as set forth in article  nineteen  of  the
    11  labor  law  for work performed or work for which a wage is paid. As used
    12  in this subdivision, "work for which a wage is paid" includes  any  task
    13  assigned  to an incarcerated individual for which a wage would have been
    14  due except for such person's status as an incarcerated individual.
    15    § 15. The correction law is amended by adding a  new  section  628  to
    16  read as follows:
    17    §  628.  Real-world  experience  job training. 1. The department shall
    18  promulgate regulations to create work release programs as such  programs
    19  are defined under article six-A and article twenty-seven of this chapter
    20  that  facilitate  on-the-job  training and certification in those fields
    21  and industries that are in  the  highest  demand.  Such  programs  shall
    22  target those individuals who are eligible for release within two years.
    23    2.  To  the  greatest  extent  possible the department shall work with
    24  local community partnerships for work release programs as created  under
    25  article six-A and article twenty-seven of this chapter.
    26    §  16.  The  correction  law is amended by adding a new section 629 to
    27  read as follows:
    28    § 629. Formerly incarcerated wage subsidy program.  Using  funds  made
    29  available from the livable New York fund established pursuant to section
    30  ninety-nine-ss  of the state finance law, the department, in conjunction
    31  with the department of labor, shall promulgate  regulations  creating  a
    32  wage subsidy program for businesses in New York that hire and employ for
    33  not  less  than  twelve continuous and uninterrupted months, persons who
    34  have recently been released from the department's custody.
    35    § 17. Section 606 of the tax law is amended by adding a new subsection
    36  (qqq) to read as follows:
    37    (qqq) Formerly incarcerated training program credit. (1) Allowance  of
    38  credit. For taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thou-
    39  sand twenty-six, a taxpayer shall be allowed a credit, to be computed as
    40  provided in this subsection, for hiring, training, and employing for not
    41  less  than  twelve  continuous  and  uninterrupted  months  (hereinafter
    42  referred to as the twelve-month period)  in  a  full-time  or  part-time
    43  position,  a  formerly  incarcerated  individual within the state.   The
    44  taxpayer may claim the credit in the  year  in  which  the  incarcerated
    45  individual  completes  the  twelve-month  period  of  employment  by the
    46  taxpayer.
    47    (2) Incarcerated individuals. A formerly  incarcerated  individual  is
    48  any  person who has been released from the custody of the New York state
    49  or New York city department of correction in the previous twelve months.
    50    (3) Employer prohibition. An employer shall not discharge an  employee
    51  and  hire  a  formerly incarcerated individual solely for the purpose of
    52  qualifying for this credit.
    53    (4) Amount of credit. The  amount  of  the  credit  shall  be  fifteen
    54  percent  of  the total amount of wages paid to the formerly incarcerated
    55  individual during the individual's first twelve-month period of  employ-

        A. 1262                             8
 
     1  ment. The credit allowed pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed in
     2  any taxable year:
     3    (i) fifteen thousand dollars for any formerly incarcerated individual,
     4  employed  in a   full-time   position   for  one  thousand eight hundred
     5  twenty or more  hours in one twelve-month period; and
     6    (ii) seven thousand five  hundred  dollars for any formerly  incarcer-
     7  ated  individual employed in a part-time position for at least one thou-
     8  sand forty  hours but not more than one thousand eight hundred  nineteen
     9  hours in one twelve-month period.
    10    (5) Carryover. If the amount of credit allowable under this subsection
    11  for  any  taxable  year  exceeds  the  taxpayer's tax for such year, any
    12  amount of credit not deductible in such taxable year may be carried over
    13  to the following three years and may be deducted from the taxpayer's tax
    14  for such year or years.
    15    § 18. The correction law is amended by adding a  new  section  195  to
    16  read as follows:
    17    §  195.  Labor  programs.  1. All labor programs shall comply with the
    18  following:
    19    (a) All health and safety  protections  required  to  be  provided  to
    20  employees  under federal and state labor law shall be provided to incar-
    21  cerated individuals engaged in labor programs; and
    22    (b) All other workplace protections, including  protections  regarding
    23  discrimination,  found under federal and state labor law shall apply and
    24  be provided to incarcerated individuals engaged in labor programs.
    25    2. The department of labor shall exercise the  same  supervision  over
    26  conditions  of  employment for incarcerated individuals participating in
    27  labor programs as such department does over conditions of employment for
    28  non-incarcerated individuals.
    29    § 19. Subdivision 2 of section 171 of the correction law,  as  amended
    30  by  chapter  364 of the laws of 1983, is amended and a new subdivision 3
    31  is added to read as follows:
    32    2. Such labor shall be either for the purpose  of  the  production  of
    33  supplies  for  said  institutions,  or  for  the state, or any political
    34  subdivision thereof, or for any public institution owned or managed  and
    35  controlled  by  the  state, or any political subdivision thereof; or for
    36  the purpose of industrial training and instruction, or partly  for  one,
    37  and  partly  for  the  other  of  such purposes. To the extent possible,
    38  incarcerated individuals shall be provided on-the-job vocational  train-
    39  ing at the correctional facility.
    40    3.  (a) Incarcerated individuals shall be provided vocational programs
    41  that meet the labor market needs of either; (i) the county in which  the
    42  facility is located; or (ii) the county of the incarcerated individual's
    43  last known address.
    44    (b)  To  the extent possible, facilities shall provide virtual reality
    45  job training simulations for incarcerated individuals.
    46    § 20. Paragraphs d and e of subdivision 2 of section 371 of the execu-
    47  tive law, as amended by section 2 of part RR of chapter 56 of  the  laws
    48  of 2023, are amended and a new paragraph f is added to read as follows:
    49    d. Encourage local governments to exercise their full powers to admin-
    50  ister and enforce the uniform code; [and]
    51    e. Provide for a uniform, statewide approach to the training and qual-
    52  ification  of personnel engaged in the administration and enforcement of
    53  the uniform code[.]; and
    54    f. Ensure that every building used in whole or in part as  a  home  or
    55  residence  by  one  or more persons shall conform to the requirements of
    56  this enforcement, inclusive, irrespective of the  class  to  which  such

        A. 1262                             9
 
     1  building may otherwise belong and irrespective of when such building may
     2  have been altered or repaired.
     3    §  21.  Section  376 of the executive law is amended by adding two new
     4  subdivisions 7 and 8 to read as follows:
     5    7. To develop and implement a public education and outreach program to
     6  inform the public of new code requirements and how  the  enforcement  of
     7  codes  operates  and  for what purpose. In developing such education and
     8  outreach program, the secretary shall  work  with  localities,  advocacy
     9  groups, elected officials, and anyone else the secretary deems relevant.
    10    8.  To  issue,  in  conjunction with the attorney general, a "renter's
    11  bill of rights", that will focus on a person's right to rent a residence
    12  that is free from code violations  and  meets  the  basic  standards  of
    13  living.
    14    §  22.  Section  382 of the executive law is amended by adding two new
    15  subdivisions 5 and 6 to read as follows:
    16    5. The secretary shall promulgate regulations requiring local  govern-
    17  ments  and  their authorized agents, to the greatest extent practicable,
    18  to perform inspections and write and enforce notices to remedy  in  lieu
    19  of ordering tenants to vacate residences.
    20    6.  (a) In addition to any other applicable remedy or penalty, where a
    21  building has been found to be in  violation  of  any  provision  of  the
    22  uniform  code  or any lawful order obtained thereunder, and the building
    23  is occupied by a tenant legally occupying the building,  a  rent  rebate
    24  may  be offered to a tenant residing in the building where an individual
    25  (i) tampered with or otherwise obstructed or attempted  to  obstruct  an
    26  inspection,  or  (ii)  where  the  violation  was  not remedied within a
    27  reasonable time frame, or (iii) where a person in violation  is  subject
    28  to a civil penalty.
    29    (b) In instances where a violation of the code endangers the health or
    30  well-being  of  a  person occupying the building, or the general public,
    31  and in addition to any other applicable remedy or penalty, the owner  of
    32  the  building  may be forced to pay fines associated with any compulsory
    33  cleaning or repair.
    34    (c) Municipal and local agencies shall have the authority to act under
    35  an emergency to clear or repair a  residence  whose  material  violation
    36  endangers  or  impairs the health, safety, or wellbeing of a resident of
    37  the building or the general public, at a cost borne by the owner of such
    38  building.
    39    § 23. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 219-b  to  read
    40  as follows:
    41    §  219-b.  Restrictions  on  use of employment verification system for
    42  apprenticeships. 1. Except as required by federal law or as a  condition
    43  of  receiving  federal funds, it shall be unlawful for an apprenticeship
    44  program, to use the federal electronic  employment  verification  system
    45  known as E-Verify and any other succeeding electronic employment verifi-
    46  cation  system  to check the employment authorization status of an indi-
    47  vidual currently in the apprenticeship program or who is an applicant to
    48  the apprenticeship program.
    49    2. Apprenticeship programs may use alternative options to declare work
    50  eligibility status including affidavit forms, or  any  other  method  as
    51  determined by the department.
    52    §  24.  Paragraphs  (k) and (l) of subdivision 1 of section 811 of the
    53  labor law, as relettered by chapter 825 of the laws of 2021, are  relet-
    54  tered  paragraphs  (m)  and  (n)  and two new paragraphs (k) and (l) are
    55  added to read as follows:

        A. 1262                            10
 
     1    (k) to foster partnerships and relationships with high schools, commu-
     2  nity colleges, and nonprofits to recruit apprentices from  disadvantaged
     3  groups;
     4    (l)  to  create a mentorship program to pair apprentices with journey-
     5  person professionals;
     6    § 25. Section 260 of article 13 of the  executive  law  is  designated
     7  title 1 and a new title heading is added to read as follows:
     8                  DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL
     9    § 26. Article 13 of the executive law is amended by adding a new title
    10  2 to read as follows:
 
    11                                   TITLE 2
    12                     HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SUBSIDY PROGRAM
    13  Section 260-a. Definitions.
    14          260-b. Development subsidy.
    15          260-c. Eligibility.
    16          260-d. Severability.
    17    § 260-a. Definitions. When used in this title:
    18    1.  The  term  "division"  shall  refer to the division of housing and
    19  community renewal.
    20    2. The term "AMI" shall refer to area median income as defined by  the
    21  U.S. department of housing and urban development ("HUD").
    22    § 260-b. Development subsidy. 1. The division shall oversee grants and
    23  subsidies for the development of housing projects which shall create, at
    24  a minimum, ten thousand new units a year.
    25    2.  Using  funds  made available from the livable New York fund estab-
    26  lished pursuant to section ninety-nine-ss of the state finance law,  the
    27  division is hereby authorized to provide grants and subsidies, to eligi-
    28  ble  projects  across the state to achieve the housing creation goals of
    29  the housing development subsidy program set forth in subdivision one  of
    30  this section.
    31    § 260-c. Eligibility. To be eligible for subsidies under this program,
    32  projects shall:
    33    1.  be  built  at an average of forty percent of the AMI, adjusted for
    34  family size;
    35    2. agree that rent increases on such projects shall be limited to only
    36  cover increases in maintenance and operating  expenses,  and  shall  not
    37  exceed more than two percent per annum;
    38    3.  ensure  that  all  workers,  laborers,  and  mechanics employed on
    39  projects funded under this  action  shall  receive  not  less  than  the
    40  prevailing  rate  of  wage  and  benefits for the classification of work
    41  performed by each upon such project pursuant to the labor  law.  Nothing
    42  under  this  paragraph  shall  limit  the ability of labor agreements to
    43  afford a wage higher than the prevailing wage for all workers, laborers,
    44  and mechanics employed on projects funded under this action;
    45    4. follow tenant protections that prevent  eviction  except  in  situ-
    46  ations  of  non-payment  of  rent; the tenant is violating a substantial
    47  obligation of the tenancy and has failed to cure such  violation  within
    48  ten  days;  or  the tenant is committing or permitting a nuisance in the
    49  housing accommodation; or the tenant's occupancy or use or permitted use
    50  of the housing accommodation is in violation of the law; or  the  tenant
    51  has  unreasonably  refused the landlord's access to the housing accommo-
    52  dation for the purpose of making repairs and improvements;
    53    5. utilize a project labor agreement. For purposes of this  paragraph,
    54  "project  labor  agreement"  shall mean a pre-hire collective bargaining
    55  agreement between the authority, or a  third  party  on  behalf  of  the

        A. 1262                            11
 
     1  authority,  and a bona fide building and construction trade labor organ-
     2  ization establishing the labor organization as the collective bargaining
     3  representative for all persons who will perform work on a  project,  and
     4  which  provides that only contractors and subcontractors who sign a pre-
     5  negotiated agreement with the labor  organization  can  perform  project
     6  work. All contractors and subcontractors associated with this work shall
     7  be  required  to utilize apprenticeship agreements as defined by article
     8  twenty-three of the labor law;
     9    6. to the greatest extent possible, provide  training  and  hiring  of
    10  formerly incarcerated individuals; and
    11    7. include an affordability covenant which shall specify that rents in
    12  any  unit  in  such residential projects receiving subsidies pursuant to
    13  this section shall not  exceed  twenty-five  percent  of  a  household's
    14  income in such unit.
    15    §  260-d.  Severability.  If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
    16  sion, section or part of this title shall be adjudged by  any  court  of
    17  competent  jurisdiction  to  be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,
    18  impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its
    19  operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph,  subdivision,  section  or
    20  part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment
    21  shall have been rendered.
    22    §  27.  Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision,
    23  section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of  competent
    24  jurisdiction  to  be  invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or
    25  invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation
    26  to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part thereof
    27  directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment  shall  have
    28  been rendered.
    29    §  28.  The  sum of three billion dollars ($3,000,000,000), or so much
    30  thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the  livable  New
    31  York  fund as established pursuant to section 99-ss of the state finance
    32  law from any moneys in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated and
    33  made  immediately  available  for  the  purposes  of  carrying  out  the
    34  provisions  of  this  act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and
    35  warrant of the comptroller on vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the
    36  commissioner  of  criminal  justice services in the manner prescribed by
    37  law.
    38    § 29. This act shall take effect immediately.
Go to top