Assembly Bill A8992

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8992
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              August 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BRONSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation  to  requiring  sprinkler
   systems to be installed in certain existing buildings
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "fire safety retrofit act of 2025".
   §  2.  The  executive  law is amended by adding a new section 382-c to
 read as follows:
   § 382-C. MANDATORY SPRINKLER RETROFITTING FOR CERTAIN EXISTING  BUILD-
 INGS.  1.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL
 HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   A. "LARGE BUILDING" MEANS ANY STRUCTURE, INCLUDING STRUCTURES THAT ARE
 USED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IN A CITY HAVING A POPULATION OF  ONE  MILLION
 OR MORE WHICH MEETS ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
   (I)  IS GREATER THAN SEVENTY-FIVE FEET IN HEIGHT FROM THE LOWEST POINT
 OF FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS TO THE HIGHEST OCCUPIED FLOOR;
   (II) CONTAINS A  FLOOR  AREA  EXCEEDING  FIVE  THOUSAND  SQUARE  FEET,
 REGARDLESS OF HEIGHT, AND HAS AN EXISTING STANDPIPE SYSTEM.
   B. "SPRINKLER SYSTEM" MEANS A SYSTEM OF PIPING AND APPLIANCES DESIGNED
 AND  INSTALLED  IN  ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS SO THAT
 HEAT FROM A FIRE WILL AUTOMATICALLY CAUSE WATER TO  BE  DISCHARGED  OVER
 THE FIRE AREA TO EXTINGUISH IT OR PREVENT ITS FURTHER SPREAD.
   2.  A.  ALL  EXISTING LARGE BUILDINGS IN A CITY HAVING A POPULATION OF
 ONE MILLION OR MORE WHICH DO NOT HAVE A SPRINKLER SYSTEM THAT  MEETS  OR
 EXCEEDS  THE  STANDARDS  ESTABLISHED  IN THE NEW YORK STATE UNIFORM FIRE
 PREVENTION AND BUILDING CODE  SHALL  BE  RETROFITTED  WITH  A  SPRINKLER
 SYSTEM  WHICH  IS COMPLIANT WITH THE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED IN SUCH CODE,
 OR ANY RULE OR REGULATION ESTABLISHED THERETO.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13113-01-5
 A. 8992                             2
              

 
   B. A COMPLIANCE PLAN DETAILING THE SCOPE AND TIMELINE OF ANY SPRINKLER
 SYSTEM REQUIRED TO BE INSTALLED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH A OF THIS SUBDIVI-
 SION SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE LOCAL CODE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WITHIN  TWO
 YEARS  OF  THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE OF THIS SECTION AND FULL INSTALLATION OF
 SUCH  SPRINKLER  SYSTEMS  SHALL  BE  COMPLETED  WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF THE
 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. EXTENSIONS MAY BE GRANTED FOR UP TO  TWO
 ADDITIONAL  YEARS  UPON  DEMONSTRATION OF HARDSHIP, AS DETERMINED BY THE
 CODE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY.
   3. ANY OWNER WHO FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF  THIS  SECTION
 SHALL  BE  SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
 PER DAY OF NONCOMPLIANCE AFTER THE FINAL COMPLIANCE DEADLINE ESTABLISHED
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   4. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO LANDMARKS OR HISTORICAL BUILDINGS.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.