Senate Bill S268

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S268

SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
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 these people accountable
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:

2022: S9519 - Referred to Rules

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.