Senate Bill S10510

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S10510

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to expanding the
state rental registry identifying lead hazards to include all residen-
tial dwellings meeting certain conditions

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would expand the scope of New York's Lead Rental Registry
Program to include rental units in single-family homes

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends Subdivision 1 of Section 1377 of the Public Health Law
to extend New York's Lead Rental Registry Program to identify and abate
lead hazards to include rental units in single-family homes built prior
to 1980 outside of New York City, removing language that previously
limited the program to residential dwellings with two or more units.

              

Section 2 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to the NYS Department of Health, "peeling and chipping lead
paint and dust remain the primary source of childhood lead poisoning."
Lead paint was banned in 1978, but nearly 30% of America's housing units
still have lead-based paint hazards, posing particular danger to chil-
dren under the age of six who are most at risk to the effects of lead
poisoning, which can hinder a child's mental and physical development.

In response to this hidden but widespread crisis, the Governor and the
legislature established the Lead Rental Registry Program in the FY
2023-2024 Enacted Budget (Health and Mental Hygiene budget bill S4007C,
Part T) to identify, inspect, and abate lead hazards in rental homes
outside of New York City, with a focus on 25 communities of concern. The
program excluded New York City because it already has robust lead
protections in place.

The enactment was coupled with $20 million in capital funding in the FY
2023-2024 budget for lead hazard remediation. An additional $20 million
in capital funding was allocated each year in the FY 2024-2025 and FY
2025-2026 budgets, bringing the program's total allocated capital fund-
ing to $60 million. As of the introduction of this bill, the Governor,
Senate, and Assembly have all proposed another $20 million for the
program in the FY 2026-2027 budget. To date, $40 million has been
awarded to local not-for-profit administrators in 20 counties with
jurisdiction over communities of concern to provide technical and finan-
cial assistance to landlords to address lead hazards in rental proper-
ties.  The remaining $20 million is in the process of being allocated
via an application process currently open as of May 2026.

The program currently covers residential dwellings with two or more
units built prior to 1980 outside of New York City. However, hazardous
lead conditions are not confined to buildings with two or more units.
This bill would extend coverage to single-unit homes to ensure residen-
tial housing outside of New York City most at risk of hazardous lead
conditions, regardless of the size of the home, would have access to
lead remediation efforts under this program.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be deteintined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the
amendments to subdivision 1 of section 1377 of the public health law
made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such
section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.