Assembly Bill A10050

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10050
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 30, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SHIMSKY -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the transportation law, in relation to creating  a  road
   salt  applicator  training  program and requires the training of state
   agencies and state contractors which use road salt
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The transportation law is amended by adding a new section
 23 to read as follows:
   § 23. ROAD SALT APPLICATOR TRAINING PROGRAM. 1. (A) THE  COMMISSIONER,
 IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION,
 SHALL ESTABLISH A SET OF COMPREHENSIVE ROAD SALT REDUCTION POLICIES  AND
 STANDARDS AND USE SUCH STANDARDS TO DESIGN A ROAD SALT APPLICATOR TRAIN-
 ING  PROGRAM  TO  ENSURE APPLICATORS CAN MEET THE STANDARDS OF SUCH ROAD
 SALT APPLICATOR TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) TEACHING THE SCIENCE OF ROAD SALT, GRANULAR ROAD SALT ALTERNATIVES
 AND ROAD SALT POLLUTION;
   (II) TRAINING MATERIALS REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND  HUMAN  HEALTH
 IMPACTS OF ROAD SALT;
   (III)  BEST PRACTICES FOR THE APPLICATION OF SODIUM CHLORIDE TO ROADS,
 PARKING LOTS, AND SIDEWALKS, SUCH AS THOSE SPECIFICALLY  STATED  IN  THE
 ADIRONDACK ROAD SALT TASK FORCE REPORT;
   (IV) USE OF STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT FOR SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL;
   (V)  USE  OF MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES FOR ANNUAL REPORTING OF ROAD SALT
 USE BY LOCATION;
   (VI) A PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE REDUCTION OR ELIMINATION OF SODIUM CHLO-
 RIDE POLLUTION IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS;
   (VII) A VERIFICATION PROCESS FOR ASSURING  BEST  PRACTICES  ARE  BEING
 IMPLEMENTED AND SHALL CONTINUE TO BE IMPLEMENTED;
   (VIII) THE USE OF ROAD SALT ALTERNATIVES; AND
   (IX)  A PROCESS FOR CERTIFICATION OF TRAINED AND APPROVED APPLICATORS,
 INCLUDING PARTICULAR LOCATIONS FOR SUCH IN-PERSON TRAINING PROGRAM,  AND
 A TIME PERIOD WITHIN WHICH TO COMPLETE CONTINUING TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13872-02-5
              

 A. 10050                            2
 
   (B) IN CREATING THE ROAD SALT APPLICATOR TRAINING PROGRAM, THE COMMIS-
 SIONER  SHALL  USE  BEST  EFFORTS  TO  CONSULT WITH CURRENT PROGRAMS AND
 RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED IN THE STATE SUCH AS THOSE  UNDERTAKEN  BY  THE
 FUND  FOR LAKE GEORGE, THE LAKE GEORGE ASSOCIATION, ADK ACTION, THE CARY
 INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES, AND CORNELL UNIVERSITY.
   (C)  IN CREATING THE ROAD SALT APPLICATION TRAINING PROGRAM, CONSIDER-
 ATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE TRAINING TO ALL  PUBLIC
 APPLICATORS.
   2.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PREPARE AND SUBMIT TO THE THE GOVERNOR, THE
 TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  THE
 CHAIR  OF  THE  SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, AND THE CHAIR OF THE
 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER  FIRST,  TWO
 THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX,  A  REPORT  CONTAINING  THE  ROAD  SALT APPLICATOR
 PROGRAM FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT INCLUDE, BUT ARE  NOT  LIMITED
 TO:
   (A)  RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR  CONDUCTING  THE  TRAINING PROGRAM BY AGENCY
 STAFF OR A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR;
   (B) FINDINGS REGARDING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF LIMITED LIABILITY RELIEF
 FOR CERTIFIED APPLICATORS;
   (C) RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING FUNDING OPTIONS OR ASSISTANCE TO LOCALI-
 TIES FOR PURCHASE OF STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT;
   (D) FINDINGS, USING EXISTING DATA AND INFORMATION, REGARDING LOCATIONS
 IN THE STATE WHERE ROAD SALT CONTAMINATION MAY BE A THREAT TO THE  ENVI-
 RONMENT, PROPERTY OR HUMAN HEALTH;
   (E)  FINDINGS  REGARDING  THE USE OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN OTHER STATES,
 SUCH AS RHODE ISLAND AND MINNESOTA;
   (F) RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING A TIMELINE  FOR  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  THE
 ROAD SALT APPLICATOR TRAINING PROGRAM; AND
   (G) FINDINGS REGARDING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CONDUCTING SUCH PROGRAM.
   3. EFFECTIVE JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN, THE DEPARTMENT,
 EVERY  STATE  AGENCY AND STATE CONTRACTOR WHICH USES ROAD SALT SHALL USE
 THE TRAINING MATERIALS ESTABLISHED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION TO
 TRAIN AND INFORM EMPLOYEES ON THE BEST PRACTICES OF USING  SUCH  MATERI-
 ALS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.