NY State Senate Bill 2025-S8050

Senate Bill S8050

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Prohibits the fraudulent use of an architect's seal by a developer and provides penalties for violations

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Consumer Protection Committee

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

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 15, 2025	referred to consumer protection

2025-S8050 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1567
Current Committee:: Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:: General Business Law
Laws Affected:: Add §392-k, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A4101

2025-S8050 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits a developer from using or displaying the seal of an architect or landscape architect on the developer's plans unless such architect or landscape architect has overseen and approved the development and creation of the plans; provides penalties for violation; and provides an enforcement mechanism.

2025-S8050 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8050

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general business law, in relation to imposing penal-
ties on developers who fraudulently use architect seals

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would prohibit developers from fraudulently using an archi-
tect's seal and provides penalties for violations.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

  Section  one  amends  the general business law by adding a new section
92-k.

  Section two establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York City requires plans for all newly constructed buildings  to  be
approved  by a state-licensed architect, unless they are used solely for
agricultural purposes or are residential  building  smaller  than  1,500
square  feet. Recently, however, there have been cases where architects'
credentials are used to sign off on projects they have not been involved
in, or even seen. While architects can  face  administrative  and  legal
penalties for this practice, including revocation of their license and a
class  E  felony,  developers  who  use these seals fraudulently face no
penalties.

Most recently, a developer was  caught  using  an  architect's  seal  to
certify three construction projects, including two hotels and one apart-
ment building. The developer colluded with the architect to allow use of
his seal on building plans without him actually reviewing the documents.
The  architect  ultimately  lost his license and could have been charged
with a class E felony. The developer  did  not  face  any  consequences.
Developers  who fraudulently use architect seals to certify projects are
equally as responsible for endangering the lives of those who live, work
and visit those spaces.This legislation would  establish  penalties  for
developers  who knowingly use an architect's seal for a project that the
architect did not review or oversee as required by state law.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-23: A.4101 - Referred to Economic Development

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it becomes law.

2025-S8050 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8050
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to imposing penal-
   ties on developers who fraudulently use architect seals
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 392-k to read as follows:
   §  392-K. FRAUDULENT USE OF AN ARCHITECTURAL SEAL. 1. NO DEVELOPER MAY
 USE OR DISPLAY THE SEAL OF AN ARCHITECT OR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT  LICENSED
 IN  THIS  STATE  ON THE DEVELOPER'S PLANS UNLESS SUCH ARCHITECT OR LAND-
 SCAPE ARCHITECT HAS OVERSEEN AND APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT  AND  CREATION
 OF THE PLANS.
   2.  A.  A DEVELOPER THAT VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL
 BE LIABLE FOR A FINE OF THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND  DOLLARS  PER  VIOLATION;
 PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IF THE VIOLATION INVOLVED PLANS FOR A PROJECT AT
 WHICH  A PERSON SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH AS A RESULT OF A DEFECT
 IN THE DESIGN OF SUCH PLANS, THE DEVELOPER SHALL BE LIABLE FOR A FINE OF
 FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER VIOLATION.
   B. A DEVELOPER THAT VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION  SHALL  BE
 PROHIBITED  FROM BEING AWARDED ANY STATE OR MUNICIPAL CONTRACT AND SHALL
 BE INELIGIBLE TO CLAIM ANY STATE OR MUNICIPAL  TAX  BENEFITS  OR  CREDIT
 OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO A DEVELOPER.
   3.  WHENEVER  THERE SHALL BE A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, THE ATTORNEY
 GENERAL, IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, OR  A  CITY
 CORPORATION  COUNSEL  ON  BEHALF OF THE LOCALITY, MAY BRING AN ACTION IN
 THE SUPREME COURT OR FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT TO ENJOIN AND RESTRAIN  SUCH
 VIOLATIONS AND TO OBTAIN RESTITUTION AND DAMAGES.
   4. ALL MONEYS COLLECTED FROM FINES IMPOSED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 DEPOSITED TO THE CREDIT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD04459-01-5

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