S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5457
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
March 5, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities 1
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the
executive law, in relation to providing emergency evacuation plans and
safe spaces for vulnerable occupants, and providing for the establish-
ment of a voluntary registry to meet the special needs of occupants
who require assistance during evacuations or other emergency situ-
ations
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 403.4.8.2 of the New York city building code, as
amended by local law number 51 of the city of New York for the year
2014, is amended to read as follows:
403.4.8.2 Emergency power loads in Group R-2 occupancies. Group R-2
occupancies in buildings greater than 125 feet (38 100 mm) in height
shall be required to provide an emergency power system to support the
following loads:
1. Exit signs and means of egress illumination required by Chapter 10;
2. Emergency voice communications systems; [and]
3. Electrically powered fire pumps, unless electrical power to the
motor is taken ahead of the main from the street side of the house
service switch[.];
4. AT LEAST ONE ELEVATOR SERVING ALL FLOORS, OR ONE ELEVATOR PER BANK
WHERE DIFFERENT BANKS SERVE DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE BUILDING; AND
5. ELECTRICITY FOR DEDICATED SAFE SPACES, PURSUANT TO SECTION 403.4.9.
§ 2. The New York city building code is amended by adding a new
section 403.4.9 to read as follows:
403.4.9 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND SAFE SPACES FOR OCCUPANTS. ALL
RESIDENTIAL OCCUPANCIES IN BUILDINGS GREATER THAN 125 FEET (38 100 MM)
IN HEIGHT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO DESIGNATE SAFE SPACES FOR VULNERABLE
OCCUPANTS, IN THE EVENT OF A POWER OUTAGE OR EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10277-03-1
S. 5457 2
DOES NOT NECESSITATE EVACUATION. VULNERABLE OCCUPANTS SHALL INCLUDE
THOSE OCCUPANTS WHO ARE ELDERLY, OR CHRONICALLY ILL OR DISABLED, INCLUD-
ING THOSE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AND THOSE PERSONS SPECIFIED IN
SUBDIVISION 2 OF SECTION 23-D OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW. SUCH SAFE SPACES
SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH A RANGE OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES WITH A PARTICULAR
FOCUS ON SUPPLIES USED BY OCCUPANTS THAT REQUIRE ACCESS TO A POWER
SOURCE AND SUPPLIES USED BY PERSONS INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRY ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION 2 OF SECTION 23-D OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
§ 3. The New York city building code is amended by adding 4 new
sections 403.5.7, 403.5.7.1, 403.5.7.2, and 403.5.7.3 to read as
follows:
403.5.7 EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLANS FOR VULNERABLE OCCUPANTS. AN EMER-
GENCY EVACUATION PLAN FOR VULNERABLE OCCUPANTS SHALL BE PREPARED AND
MAINTAINED FOR ALL RESIDENTIAL OCCUPANCIES. THE TERM "VULNERABLE OCCU-
PANTS" SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
1. OCCUPANTS WHO ARE ELDERLY, OR CHRONICALLY ILL OR DISABLED, INCLUD-
ING THOSE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS.
2. ANY OCCUPANT WHO VOLUNTARILY SUBMITS HIS OR HER PERSONAL INFORMA-
TION FOR INCLUSION IN THE REGISTRY ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION 2
OF SECTION 23-D OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.
THE EVACUATION PLAN SHALL INCLUDE SPECIAL EMPLOYEE ACTIONS AND PROCE-
DURES NECESSARY FOR SUCH VULNERABLE OCCUPANTS, AND SHALL BE AMENDED OR
REVISED UPON THE OCCUPANCY OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNUSUAL NEEDS.
403.5.7.1 EVACUATION PLAN POSTING SITES. A COPY OF THE EVACUATION PLAN
AND A DIAGRAM DEPICTING EVACUATION ROUTES SHALL BE GIVEN TO VULNERABLE
OCCUPANTS PRIOR TO INITIAL OCCUPANCY. A DIAGRAM DEPICTING EVACUATION
ROUTES SHALL ALSO BE POSTED ON OR IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO EVERY DOOR
OPENING INTO INTERIOR STAIR ENCLOSURES AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO OCCU-
PANT EVACUATION ELEVATORS.
403.5.7.2 EMPLOYEE TRAINING. EMPLOYEES SHALL BE PERIODICALLY TRAINED
IN THE ACTIONS AND PROCEDURES TO TAKE IN THE EVENT VULNERABLE OCCUPANTS
REQUIRE EVACUATION AND SHALL BE KEPT INFORMED OF THEIR DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE PLAN.
403.5.7.3 OCCUPANT TRAINING. VULNERABLE OCCUPANTS CAPABLE OF ASSISTING
IN THEIR OWN EVACUATION SHALL BE TRAINED IN THE PROPER ACTIONS TO TAKE
IN THE EVENT OF AN EVACUATION. VULNERABLE OCCUPANTS SHALL ALSO BE
TRAINED TO ASSIST EACH OTHER IN CASE OF EVACUATION TO THE EXTENT THEIR
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ABILITIES PERMIT THEM TO DO SO WITHOUT ADDITIONAL
PERSONAL RISK. IN BUILDINGS USING OCCUPANT EVACUATION ELEVATORS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3008, OCCUPANT TRAINING SHALL INCORPORATE
SPECIFIC PROCEDURES FOR THE OCCUPANTS USING SUCH ELEVATORS.
§ 4. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 23-d to read
as follows:
§ 23-D. NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY REGISTRY OF ELDERLY
OR DISABLED PERSONS; NOTICE. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
(A) "COVERED MUNICIPALITY" SHALL MEAN A COUNTY OR CITY WITH A COMPRE-
HENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-THREE OF
THIS ARTICLE;
(B) "CHIEF EXECUTIVE" SHALL MEAN THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF A COVERED
MUNICIPALITY;
(C) "NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY" SHALL HAVE THE SAME
MEANING AS IN PARAGRAPH (E) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED
NINE OF THE ELDER LAW AND SHALL INCLUDE NEIGHBORHOOD NATURALLY OCCURRING
RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH (F) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF
SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINE OF THE ELDER LAW;
S. 5457 3
(D) "REGISTRY" SHALL MEAN THE LIST THAT IS COMPILED BY EACH COVERED
MUNICIPALITY OF ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS LOCATED WITHIN A NATURALLY
OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AS ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBDIVISION TWO OF
THIS SECTION; AND
(E) "NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY DATABASE" OR "NORCD"
SHALL MEAN THE COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF EVERY COVERED MUNICIPALITY REGISTRY
AS ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBDIVISION EIGHT OF THIS SECTION.
2. IN EACH COVERED MUNICIPALITY, IN ORDER TO MEET THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF
PERSONS WHO WOULD NEED ASSISTANCE DURING EVACUATIONS OR OTHER EMERGENCY
SITUATIONS AND SHELTERING BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HANDICAPS, OR
WHOSE ABILITY TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES DURING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IS
ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY ADVANCED AGE, OR PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY MEDICAL
CONDITION OF THE USE OF A MEDICAL DEVICE THAT REQUIRES ELECTRICITY TO
OPERATE, EACH CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF SUCH COVERED MUNICIPALITY SHALL MAIN-
TAIN A REGISTRY OF ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS LOCATED WITHIN A
NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY WHO VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT HIS OR
HER INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION IN THE REGISTRY. THE REGISTRY SHALL IDEN-
TIFY THOSE PERSONS IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE AND PLAN FOR RESOURCE ALLO-
CATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MEDICAL DEVICES AND SUPPLIES TO
MEET THOSE IDENTIFIED NEEDS. TO ASSIST THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN IDENTIFY-
ING SUCH PERSONS, THE COVERED MUNICIPALITY'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, OR
SUCH OTHER DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY AS DESIGNATED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE,
SHALL PROVIDE VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION INFORMATION TO ALL RESIDENTS OF
AREAS DETERMINED TO BE NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES. THE
REGISTRY SHALL BE UPDATED AT LEAST EVERY SIX MONTHS. THE REGISTRATION
PROGRAM SHALL GIVE ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS THE OPTION OF PRE-AUTHOR-
IZING EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL TO ENTER THEIR HOMES DURING SEARCH
AND RESCUE OPERATIONS IF NECESSARY TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND WELFARE
DURING DISASTERS.
3. UPON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGISTRY AS PROVIDED UNDER SUBDIVISION
TWO OF THIS SECTION, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHALL MAKE SUCH REGISTRY AVAIL-
ABLE TO THE APPROPRIATE CITY, COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES FOR
THEIR USE IN DELIVERING SERVICES IN THE EVENT OF A LOCAL OR STATE DISAS-
TER. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHALL AT LEAST EVERY SIX MONTHS PROVIDE SUCH
REGISTRY INFORMATION TO THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGE-
MENT, INCLUDING ALL UPDATES TO SUCH REGISTRY INFORMATION, FOR PLACEMENT
IN THE NORCD AS ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBDIVISION EIGHT OF THIS SECTION. THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE MAY, AT HIS OR HER DISCRETION, USE THE REGISTRY INFORMA-
TION FOR LOCAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS ONLY IN COORDINATION WITH OTHER
POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE STATE.
4. UPON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGISTRY AS PROVIDED UNDER SUBDIVISION
TWO OF THIS SECTION, AT LEAST EVERY SIX MONTHS, EACH CHIEF EXECUTIVE
SHALL CAUSE TO BE PUBLISHED IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION WITHIN
A COVERED MUNICIPALITY THAT CONTAINS A NATURALLY OCCURRING RETIREMENT
COMMUNITY, A NOTICE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION
PROGRAM.
5. ALL RECORDS, DATA, INFORMATION, CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS
RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION OF ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS AS PROVIDED
UNDER SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION ARE CONFIDENTIAL, EXCEPT THAT SUCH
INFORMATION SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF OTHER COVERED
MUNICIPALITIES AND THE NORCD FOR LOCAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS ONLY AS THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE COVERED MUNICIPALITY MAINTAINING SUCH REGISTRY
DEEMS NECESSARY. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE INDIVIDUAL FILE OF A PERSON
HAVING REGISTERED WITH THE REGISTRY OF ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS SHALL
BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THAT PERSON UPON REQUEST.
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6. ALL COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES PROVIDERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO HOME HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATURALLY OCCUR-
RING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE SERVICE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SECTION
TWO HUNDRED NINE OF THE ELDER LAW, SHALL ASSIST EACH CHIEF EXECUTIVE BY
COLLECTING REGISTRATION INFORMATION FOR ELDERLY OR DISABLED PERSONS AS
PART OF PROGRAM INTAKE PROCESSES, ESTABLISHING PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE
AWARENESS OF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, AND EDUCATING CLIENTS ABOUT THE
PROCEDURES THAT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THEIR SAFETY DURING DISASTERS.
7. A COVERED MUNICIPALITY SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM BASED UPON
THE GOOD FAITH EXERCISE OR PERFORMANCE OR THE GOOD FAITH FAILURE TO
EXERCISE OR PERFORM A FUNCTION OR DUTY ON THE PART OF ANY OFFICER OR
EMPLOYEE IN CARRYING OUT A LOCAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN.
8. (A) THE COMMISSION SHALL ESTABLISH THE NORCD AND THE COMMISSION
SHALL ACCEPT VOLUNTARY REGISTRANTS DIRECTLY AS NEEDED, AT WHICH TIME
SUCH REGISTRATION INFORMATION COLLECTED SHALL BE FORWARDED TO THE APPRO-
PRIATE COVERED MUNICIPALITY FOR INCLUSION IN THE COVERED MUNICIPALITY'S
REGISTRY.
(B) THE NORCD SHALL BE MADE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL SUCH APPROPRIATE STATE,
COUNTY AND CITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATIONS AS MAY BE
DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE COMMISSION IN ORDER TO PROPERLY PLAN FOR
SECURING THE NEEDS, SAFETY, AND WELL-BEING OF THE REGISTRANTS. THIS
SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, PLANNING FOR EVACUATIONS, ASSESS-
ING THE NEED FOR INDIVIDUAL EVACUATIONS DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS THAT
MAY NOT REQUIRE THE EVACUATION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PRE-POSITIONING
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES INCLUDING ALTERNATIVES TO MEDICAL DEVICES THAT
REQUIRE ELECTRICITY TO OPERATE, OR SUCH OTHER MEASURES AS THE COMMISSION
DEEMS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS ARTICLE. IN ADDI-
TION, THE NORCD SHALL BE MADE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL APPROPRIATE FEDERAL
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATIONS AND PERSONNEL AND SHALL BE MADE AVAIL-
ABLE TO SUCH OTHER VOLUNTARY RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS AS THE COMMISSION
DEEMS NECESSARY.
(C) ALL RECORDS, DATA, INFORMATION, CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS
RELATING TO THE NORCD SHALL BE CONFIDENTIAL, EXCEPT THAT SUCH INFORMA-
TION MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMISSION IN FURTH-
ERANCE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS ARTICLE. THE INDIVIDUAL FILE OF A
PERSON HAVING INFORMATION IN THE NORCD SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THAT
PERSON UPON REQUEST.
(D) THE COMMISSION SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM BASED UPON THE
GOOD FAITH EXERCISE OR PERFORMANCE OR THE GOOD FAITH FAILURE TO EXERCISE
OR PERFORM A FUNCTION OR DUTY ON THE PART OF ANY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE IN
THE MAINTENANCE OR USAGE OF THE NORCD.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately on the one hundred twenti-
eth 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.