NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7131A

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

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

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 30, 2025	advanced to third reading
Apr 29, 2025	2nd report cal.
Apr 28, 2025	1st report cal.699
Apr 22, 2025	print number 7131a
Apr 22, 2025	amend and recommit to housing, construction and community development
Apr 01, 2025	referred to housing, construction and community development

Votes

- Apr 28, 2025 - Housing, Construction And Community Development Committee Vote
  S7131A
  
  8
  
  Aye
  
  2
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Housing, Construction And Community Development Committee Vote: Apr 28, 2025
      
      aye (8)
      
      Brisport
      
      Cleare
      
      Jackson
      
      Kavanagh
      
      May
      
      Rivera
      
      Ryan
      
      Salazar
      
      nay (2)
      
      Helming
      
      Walczyk
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Martins

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2025-S7131 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6964
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §378, Exec L; add §403.5, NYC Ad Cd

2025-S7131 - Summary

Establishes standards for the design and construction of all-gender bathrooms in the state and in New York city; provides standards will be permitted in both new construction and existing structures undergoing repair, renovation, or alteration work.

2025-S7131 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7131

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law and the administrative code of the
city of New York, in relation to establishing standards for the design
and construction of all-gender bathrooms

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::

Section 1 amends section 378 of the executive law by adding a new subdi-
vision 21 establishing design and construction standards for all-gender
bathrooms

Section 2 amends chapter 4 of the plumbing code of the administrative
code of the city of New York by adding a new section 403.5 establishing
design and construction standards for all-gender bathrooms

Section 3 provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION::

New York State and New York City's outdated plumbing codes fail to
accommodate modem design standards for multi-stall all-gender bathrooms.
The market has spoken and the demand for inclusive design is here, and
the plumbing code needs to be updated to meet the moment. The current
code requires architects and engineers to navigate an onerous variance
process, adding unnecessary time, cost, and uncertainty to projects.

Multi-stall all-gender bathrooms are not without precedent. Forest Hills
Stadium has been using these facilities successfully since 2018, reduc-
ing need for additional wayfinding and meeting the needs of diverse
users, such as families and caretakers.

A wide variety of architecture clients, including private developers,
non-profit organizations, institutions, and agencies (ex: Parks Depart-
ment), seek inclusive design in their projects and require multi-stall
all- gender bathrooms that are safe and provide sufficient privacy. The
challenge is for an architect to incorporate multi-stall all-gender
bathrooms in their design, they need to engage in a lengthy variance
application and review process with the Department of Buildings (DOB),
often negatively impacting the project budget and schedule. This vari-
ance process serves as a deterrent and a risk to clients who aspire to
include all-gender bathrooms because, at the end, approval is subject to
the discretion of individual DOB reviewers. The uncertainty of approval,
along with the added costs and delays, often outweighs the interest in
the pursuit of incorporating these inclusive features.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::

Cost savings

 
EFFECTIVE DATE::

90 days after becoming law

2025-S7131 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7131
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 1, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction  and
   Community Development
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the executive law and the administrative code of the
   city of New York, in relation to establishing standards for the design
   and construction of all-gender bathrooms

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 378 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 21 to read as follows:
   21. A. STANDARDS FOR ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS TO PROVIDE PRIVACY AND SECU-
 RITY, INCORPORATING BEST PRACTICES IN RESTROOM DESIGN, INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO:
   (I)  LOCKABLE  INDIVIDUAL  TOILET STALLS WITH A MINIMUM DOOR HEIGHT OF
 EIGHTY-FOUR INCHES AND A MAXIMUM UNDERCUT OF FOUR INCHES;
   (II) NO VISUAL GAPS AT THE SIDES OF DOORS AND PILASTERS;
   (III) SHARED  SINK  AREAS  POSITIONED  OUTSIDE  OF  INDIVIDUAL  TOILET
 STALLS; AND
   (IV) ALLOWANCE FOR SEPARATE SINKS WITHIN INDIVIDUAL STALLS.
   B. ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS MAY INCLUDE URINALS PROVIDED THEY ARE ENCLOSED
 WITHIN INDIVIDUAL LOCKABLE STALLS MEETING THE PRIVACY STANDARDS IN PARA-
 GRAPH A OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   C.  (I)  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE OR AMEND REGULATIONS TO ALLOW
 AND FACILITATE THE DESIGNATION,  INSTALLATION,  AND  USE  OF  ALL-GENDER
 BATHROOMS  IN  ANY  USE  GROUP  AS  DEFINED  IN THE STATE BUILDING CODE,
 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO COMMERCIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND
 PUBLIC FACILITIES.
   (II) ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS SHALL BE PERMITTED IN BOTH NEW  CONSTRUCTION
 AND  EXISTING  STRUCTURES  UNDERGOING  REPAIR, RENOVATION, OR ALTERATION
 WORK.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09382-02-5
 S. 7131                             2

 
   (III) STANDARDS DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION  SHALL  INCLUDE
 REQUIREMENTS  FOR SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING STANDARDS TO ENSURE CLEAR IDEN-
 TIFICATION OF ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS  WHILE  MAINTAINING  INCLUSIVITY  AND
 ACCESSIBILITY.
   D.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS" SHALL
 MEAN MULTI-FIXTURE TOILET ROOMS WITH SEPARATE, LOCKABLE PARTITIONS AND A
 SHARED SINK AREA THAT CAN BE USED BY INDIVIDUALS OF ALL  GENDER  IDENTI-
 TIES.
   §  2.  PC  403 of chapter 4 of the plumbing code of the administrative
 code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 403.5 to
 read as follows:
   § 403.5 ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS.  1. (A) ALL-GENDER  BATHROOMS  SHALL  BE
 DESIGNED  TO  PROVIDE PRIVACY AND SECURITY, INCORPORATING BEST PRACTICES
 IN RESTROOM DESIGN, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) LOCKABLE INDIVIDUAL TOILET STALLS WITH A MINIMUM DOOR HEIGHT OF 84
 INCHES AND A MAXIMUM UNDERCUT OF 4 INCHES;
   (II) NO VISUAL GAPS AT THE SIDES OF DOORS AND PILASTERS;
   (III) SHARED  SINK  AREAS  POSITIONED  OUTSIDE  OF  INDIVIDUAL  TOILET
 STALLS; AND
   (IV) ALLOWANCE FOR SEPARATE SINKS WITHIN INDIVIDUAL STALLS.
   (B)  ALL-GENDER  BATHROOMS  MAY  INCLUDE  URINALS  PROVIDED  THEY  ARE
 ENCLOSED WITHIN INDIVIDUAL LOCKABLE STALLS MEETING THE PRIVACY STANDARDS
 IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   2. ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS SHALL BE PERMITTED IN  BOTH  NEW  CONSTRUCTION
 AND  EXISTING  STRUCTURES  UNDERGOING  REPAIR, RENOVATION, OR ALTERATION
 WORK.
   3. STANDARDS DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL INCLUDE REQUIRE-
 MENTS FOR SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING STANDARDS TO ENSURE  CLEAR  IDENTIFICA-
 TION  OF ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS WHILE MAINTAINING INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESSI-
 BILITY.
   4. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS" SHALL MEAN
 MULTI-FIXTURE TOILET ROOMS WITH  SEPARATE,  LOCKABLE  PARTITIONS  AND  A
 SHARED  SINK  AREA THAT CAN BE USED BY INDIVIDUALS OF ALL GENDER IDENTI-
 TIES.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6964
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §378, Exec L; add §403.5, NYC Ad Cd

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7131A

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law and the administrative code of the
city of New York, in relation to establishing standards for the design
and construction of all-gender bathrooms

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 378 of the executive law by adding a new subdi-
vision 21 establishing design and construction standards for all-gender
bathrooms

Section 2 amends chapter 4 of the plumbing code of the administrative
code of the city of New York by adding a new section 403.5 establishing
design and construction standards for all-gender bathrooms

Section 3 provides the effective date.

** The A-print updates the legislation with reference to industry stand-
ards. **

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State and New York City's outdated plumbing codes fail to
accommodate modern design standards for multi-stall all-gender bath-
rooms. The market has spoken and the demand for inclusive design is
here, and the plumbing code needs to be updated to meet the moment. The
current code requires architects and engineers to navigate an onerous
variance process, adding unnecessary time, cost, and uncertainty to
projects.

Multi-stall all-gender bathrooms are not without precedent. Forest Hills
Stadium has been using these facilities successfully since 2018, reduc-
ing need for additional wayfinding and meeting the needs of diverse
users, such as families and caretakers.

A wide variety of architecture clients, including private developers,
non-profit organizations, institutions, and agencies (ex: Parks Depart-
ment), seek inclusive design in their projects and require multi-stall
all- gender bathrooms that are safe and provide sufficient privacy. The
challenge is for an architect to incorporate multi-stall all-gender
bathrooms in their design, they need to engage in a lengthy variance
application and review process with the Department of Buildings (DOB),
often negatively impacting the project budget and schedule. This vari-
ance process serves as a deterrent and a risk to clients who aspire to
include all-gender bathrooms because, at the end, approval is subject to
the discretion of individual DOB reviewers. The uncertainty of approval,
along with the added costs and delays, often outweighs the interest in
the pursuit of incorporating these inclusive features.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Cost savings

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after becoming law

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7131--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 1, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction  and
   Community  Development  -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law and the  administrative  code  of  the
   city of New York, in relation to establishing standards for the design
   and construction of all-gender bathrooms
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 378 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 21 to read as follows:
   21. A. STANDARDS FOR ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS TO PROVIDE PRIVACY AND SECU-
 RITY, INCORPORATING BEST PRACTICES IN RESTROOM DESIGN, INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO:
   (I) LOCKABLE INDIVIDUAL TOILET STALLS WITH A MINIMUM  DOOR  HEIGHT  OF
 EIGHTY-FOUR INCHES AND A MAXIMUM UNDERCUT OF FOUR INCHES;
   (II) NO VISUAL GAPS AT THE SIDES OF DOORS AND PILASTERS;
   (III)  SHARED  SINK  AREAS  POSITIONED  OUTSIDE  OF  INDIVIDUAL TOILET
 STALLS;
   (IV) ALLOWANCE FOR SEPARATE SINKS WITHIN INDIVIDUAL STALLS; AND
   (V) INSTALLATION OF PRIVACY PARTITIONS  COMPLIANT  WITH  THE  INTERNA-
 TIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  PLUMBING  AND  MECHANICAL  OFFICIALS' STANDARDS
 PUBLISHED UNDER THE IAPMO/ANSI/CAN Z124.10-2022, OR  THE  MOST  RECENTLY
 PUBLISHED VERSION OF SUCH PUBLICATION.
   B. ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS MAY INCLUDE URINALS PROVIDED THEY ARE ENCLOSED
 WITHIN INDIVIDUAL LOCKABLE STALLS MEETING THE PRIVACY STANDARDS IN PARA-
 GRAPH A OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   C.  (I)  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE OR AMEND REGULATIONS TO ALLOW
 AND FACILITATE THE DESIGNATION,  INSTALLATION,  AND  USE  OF  ALL-GENDER
 BATHROOMS  IN  ANY  USE  GROUP  AS  DEFINED  IN THE STATE BUILDING CODE,

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09382-03-5
 S. 7131--A                          2

 
 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO COMMERCIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND
 PUBLIC FACILITIES.
   (II)  ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS SHALL BE PERMITTED IN BOTH NEW CONSTRUCTION
 AND EXISTING STRUCTURES UNDERGOING  REPAIR,  RENOVATION,  OR  ALTERATION
 WORK.
   (III)  STANDARDS  DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL INCLUDE
 REQUIREMENTS FOR SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING STANDARDS TO ENSURE CLEAR  IDEN-
 TIFICATION  OF  ALL-GENDER  BATHROOMS  WHILE MAINTAINING INCLUSIVITY AND
 ACCESSIBILITY.
   D. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS"  SHALL
 MEAN MULTI-FIXTURE TOILET ROOMS WITH SEPARATE, LOCKABLE PARTITIONS AND A
 SHARED  SINK  AREA THAT CAN BE USED BY INDIVIDUALS OF ALL GENDER IDENTI-
 TIES.
   § 2. PC 403 of chapter 4 of the plumbing code  of  the  administrative
 code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 403.5 to
 read as follows:
   §  403.5  ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS.   1. (A) ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS SHALL BE
 DESIGNED TO PROVIDE PRIVACY AND SECURITY, INCORPORATING  BEST  PRACTICES
 IN RESTROOM DESIGN, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) LOCKABLE INDIVIDUAL TOILET STALLS WITH A MINIMUM DOOR HEIGHT OF 84
 INCHES AND A MAXIMUM UNDERCUT OF 4 INCHES;
   (II) NO VISUAL GAPS AT THE SIDES OF DOORS AND PILASTERS;
   (III)  SHARED  SINK  AREAS  POSITIONED  OUTSIDE  OF  INDIVIDUAL TOILET
 STALLS;
   (IV) ALLOWANCE FOR SEPARATE SINKS WITHIN INDIVIDUAL STALLS; AND
   (V) INSTALLATION OF PRIVACY PARTITIONS  COMPLIANT  WITH  THE  INTERNA-
 TIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  PLUMBING  AND  MECHANICAL  OFFICIALS' STANDARDS
 PUBLISHED UNDER THE IAPMO/ANSI/CAN Z124.10-2022, OR  THE  MOST  RECENTLY
 PUBLISHED VERSION OF SUCH PUBLICATION.
   (B)  ALL-GENDER  BATHROOMS  MAY  INCLUDE  URINALS  PROVIDED  THEY  ARE
 ENCLOSED WITHIN INDIVIDUAL LOCKABLE STALLS MEETING THE PRIVACY STANDARDS
 IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   2. ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS SHALL BE PERMITTED IN  BOTH  NEW  CONSTRUCTION
 AND  EXISTING  STRUCTURES  UNDERGOING  REPAIR, RENOVATION, OR ALTERATION
 WORK.
   3. STANDARDS DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL INCLUDE REQUIRE-
 MENTS FOR SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING STANDARDS TO ENSURE  CLEAR  IDENTIFICA-
 TION  OF ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS WHILE MAINTAINING INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESSI-
 BILITY.
   4. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "ALL-GENDER BATHROOMS" SHALL MEAN
 MULTI-FIXTURE TOILET ROOMS WITH  SEPARATE,  LOCKABLE  PARTITIONS  AND  A
 SHARED  SINK  AREA THAT CAN BE USED BY INDIVIDUALS OF ALL GENDER IDENTI-
 TIES.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S7131A

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

Apr 28, 2025 - Housing, Construction And Community Development Committee Vote

Housing, Construction And Community Development Committee Vote: Apr 28, 2025

Bill Amendments

2025-S7131 - Details

2025-S7131 - Summary

2025-S7131 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7131 - Bill Text download pdf

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7131A

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Rachel May

Current Bill Status - On Floor Calendar

Bill Amendments

2025-S7131 - Details

2025-S7131 - Summary

2025-S7131 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7131 - Bill Text download pdf

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7131A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments