BILL NUMBER: S5588

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct certain state agencies to consider the right to potable
water when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations,
and grant criteria that are relevant to or affect that right

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would help ensure access to potable, affordable and accessible
water.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill requires all relevant state agencies, including
the departments of health, environmental conservation and public service
to consider the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water
adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes when
revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant
              

criteria that are relevant to or affect that right.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Access by our residents to clean, adequate, and affordable water is in
jeopardy. Tainted drinking water continues to be in the forefront of the
news. Cash strapped municipalities nationwide, including in New York,
are under pressure to privatize their water systems. The control of
water by private companies, including access and cost, is a threat to
the protection and management of water resources sustainability.

Clean, adequate and affordable water should be available to all resi-
dents. This is threatened by privatization and the lack of sufficient
guidelines and policy. This legislation will require all relevant agen-
cies to consider the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible
water adequate for human consumption, cooking and sanitary purposes when
revising, adopting, or establishing polices, regulations, and grant
criteria pertinent to the uses of water described in this act. This will
help to protect the right to clean, adequate, and affordable water for
our residents.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-18: A.6803 referred to health.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.