Senate Bill S10719

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10719
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              October 7, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SERRANO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to create a temporary state commission to study and  make  recom-
   mendations concerning the incidence of Legionnaires' Disease caused by
   cooling  towers in New York city; and providing for the repeal of such
   provisions upon the expiration thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. A temporary state commission is hereby created to study and
 make  recommendations relating to the incidence of Legionnaires' Disease
 caused by cooling towers in the city of New York.  The  commission  will
 place  particular  emphasis  on studying cooling towers to determine why
 and where they are susceptible to Legionella bacteria growth.
   § 2. 1. The commission shall consist of 11  members to be appointed as
 follows:
   a. 5 members shall be appointed by the governor;
   b. 2 members shall be appointed by  the  temporary  president  of  the
 senate;
   c. 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
   d. 2 members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and
   e. 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
   2.  The  members  of the commission shall serve at the pleasure of the
 official making the  appointment  of  such  member.  Of  the  5  members
 appointed by the governor, 2 shall be from the department of health. The
 remaining 9 members of the commission must reside in a city with a popu-
 lation of one million or more.
   3.  Vacancies  in  the membership of the commission shall be filled in
 the manner provided for original appointments. Membership on the commis-
 sion shall not constitute a public office.
   4. A chairperson and  vice-chairperson  of  the  commission  shall  be
 elected by a majority of its members, all members being present.
   5.  The  members  of  the commission shall receive no compensation for
 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD16375-02-6
 S. 10719                            2
 
   6. Members shall be appointed within 60 days of the effective date  of
 this  act.  Vacancies  shall  be  filled  in the same manner as original
 appointments within 30 days of the occurrence of such vacancy.
   7. A majority of the voting members of the commission shall constitute
 a  quorum  for the transaction of business. The commission shall meet at
 least quarterly and at such other times as the chair shall determine.
   8. The department of health shall determine and provide staff  support
 to  the  commission  and shall be responsible for administrative coordi-
 nation of commission activities.
   § 3. The commission may meet within and without the state, shall  hold
 at  least one public hearing each quarter, and shall have all the powers
 of a legislative committee pursuant to the legislative law.
   § 4. The commission shall make a report of its findings and  make  any
 recommendations  it may deem necessary and appropriate, including recom-
 mendations concerning design improvements and regulatory improvements to
 cooling tower design that would limit the growth of Legionella bacteria,
 to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the  speaker  of
 the  assembly, and the Commissioner of the Department of Health no later
 than one year after the effective date of this act. The commission shall
 be disbanded one year after delivery of the report.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 repealed  one year after delivery of the commission's report as provided
 in section four of this act.