Senate Bill S5444

Signed By Governor
2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to permitting employees of public utilities access to certain restroom facilities without being a paying customer

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - Signed by Governor

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2023-S5444 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A6978
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §399-k, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S8523, A5681

2023-S5444 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Permits employees of public utility corporations or public utility companies access to certain restroom facilities without being a paying customer.

2023-S5444 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S5444 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5444
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 6, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. SCARCELLA-SPANTON -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when  printed  to  be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Consumer
   Protection
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  general business law, in relation to permitting
   employees of public utilities access to  certain  restroom  facilities
   without being a paying customer

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 399-k to read as follows:
   § 399-K. ACCESS TO RESTROOM FACILITIES.  1. A PLACE OF  BUSINESS  OPEN
 TO  THE  GENERAL  PUBLIC  FOR  THE  SALE OF GOODS OR SERVICES THAT HAS A
 TOILET FACILITY FOR ITS EMPLOYEES SHALL  ALLOW  ANY  INDIVIDUAL  WHO  IS
 LAWFULLY  ON  THE  PREMISES OF SUCH PLACE OF BUSINESS WHILE PERFORMING A
 UTILITY RELATED SERVICE TO USE THAT TOILET FACILITY DURING NORMAL  BUSI-
 NESS  HOURS,  EVEN  IF  THE PLACE OF BUSINESS DOES NOT NORMALLY MAKE THE
 EMPLOYEE TOILET FACILITY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, PROVIDED THAT  ALL  OF
 THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET:
   A.  THE  INDIVIDUAL REQUESTING THE USE OF THE EMPLOYEE TOILET FACILITY
 IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY OR A  PUBLIC  UTILITY  CORPO-
 RATION  AS  DEFINED  IN  SECTION TWO OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE LAW, PROVIDED
 THAT THE PLACE OF BUSINESS MAY REQUIRE THE INDIVIDUAL TO PRESENT REASON-
 ABLE EVIDENCE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS AN EMPLOYEE OF SUCH PUBLIC  UTILITY
 ENTITY;
   B.  TWO  OR MORE EMPLOYEES OF THE PLACE OF BUSINESS ARE WORKING AT THE
 TIME THE INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS USE OF THE EMPLOYEE TOILET FACILITY;
   C. THE EMPLOYEE TOILET FACILITY  IS  NOT  LOCATED  IN  AN  AREA  WHERE
 PROVIDING  ACCESS  WOULD  CREATE AN OBVIOUS HEALTH OR SAFETY RISK TO THE
 REQUESTING INDIVIDUAL OR CREATE A SECURITY RISK TO THE PEOPLE, OR  PROP-
 ERTY WITHIN THE PLACE OF BUSINESS;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07109-01-3
 S. 5444                             2

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