NY State Senate Bill 2025-S2091

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Housing, Construction And Community Development 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 15, 2025	referred to housing, construction and community development

co-Sponsors

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3029
Current Committee:: Senate Housing, Construction And Community Development
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§377, 378 & 376, Exec L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S8614, A9290

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes standards for the reuse of deconstructed building materials; requires the uniform building code to set standards for the use of solid-sawn lumber in construction and for the grading of used solid-sawn lumber; requires the secretary of state to develop a program for grading reclaimed wood for structural purposes.

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2091

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing standards
for the reuse of deconstructed building materials

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To allow the use of reclaimed or used wood in construction and provide
for standards for the condition of reclaimed wood allowed to be used in
construction.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends section 377(2)(c) of the Executive Law to explicitly
include reuse of deconstructed building materials in the list of modern
technical methods, devices, and improvements to be permitted to the
fullest extent possible in the New York State uniform building code.

Section two amends section 378 of the Executive Law by adding a new

subdivision 19-a which directs that the uniform building code shall set
standards for the use of solid-sawn lumber in construction; provides for
the grading of used solid-sawn lumber, indicating that the code shall
apply certain specific standards for used solid-sawn lumber which may be
assumed to be in "in good condition".

Section three amends section 376 of the Executive Law to add a new
subdivision 7 directing the Secretary of State to establish, in consul-
tation with industry stakeholders, a program for grading reclaimed wood
for structural purposes.

Section four sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The use of salvaged wood from deconstructed buildings is an important
component of sustainable building practices and can contribute to pres-
ervation of precious natural resources as well as to the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions and construction waste going to landfills.
However, the lack of a standardized quality grading system makes it
difficult for builders and contractors to determine the structural
integrity of reclaimed wood.

Currently, under the international Building Code, quality, salvaged
solid-sawn lumber that is ungraded or does not have a certificate of
inspection cannot be reused in a structural capacity unless explicitly
allowed by a building code official. This adds cost and delays, and
discourages the use of wood that may be perfectly usable. However, a
state may amend its building code to allow for such wood to be graded on
site by builders and contractors.  Washington State is a recent example.

This bill allows the use of undamaged, reclaimed lumber in construction
in New York State and preserves safety by establishing assumed base
values of grading for reclaimed lumber which may be applied at a
construction project site by builders and contractors, allowing struc-
tural use only to the capacity of the weakest wood type that could have
been used in a previous building. By developing a state program for
grading reclaimed wood and determining its structural properties, this
bill will provide builders and contractors with the information they
need to confidently use reclaimed wood for structural purposes. It will
reduce the amount of reclaimed wood discarded and promote sustainable
building practices.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024: 58614 (Kavanagh) - PASSED SENATE /A9290 (Kelles) referred to
governmental operations

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2091
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  KAVANAGH, WEBB -- 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, in relation to establishing standards
   for the reuse of deconstructed building materials

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 2 of section 377 of  the  execu-
 tive  law,  as  added  by chapter 707 of the laws of 1981, is amended to
 read as follows:
   c. permit to the fullest extent  feasible,  use  of  modern  technical
 methods,  devices  and  improvements  which  tend  to reduce the cost of
 construction, INCLUDING THE REUSE OF DECONSTRUCTED  BUILDING  MATERIALS,
 without  substantially affecting reasonable requirements for the health,
 safety and security of the occupants or users of buildings;
   § 2. Section 378 of the executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 19-a to read as follows:
   19-A. A.  TO SUPPORT THE GOAL OF ZERO ON-SITE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
 AND  HELP ACHIEVE THE STATE'S CLEAR ENERGY AND CLIMATE AGENDA, INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH WITH-
 IN CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIX OF THE LAWS OF TWO  THOUSAND  NINETEEN,  ALSO
 KNOWN  AS THE NEW YORK STATE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION
 ACT, THE UNIFORM CODE SHALL SET STANDARDS  FOR  THE  USE  OF  SOLID-SAWN
 LUMBER IN CONSTRUCTION AND FOR THE GRADING OF USED SOLID-SAWN LUMBER.
   B.  THE UNIFORM CODE SHALL PROVIDE THAT USED SOLID-SAWN LUMBER IN GOOD
 CONDITION AND DEVOID OF AREAS OF DECAY NOT MEETING THE  REQUIREMENTS  OF
 SECTIONS 2303.1.1, 2303.1.1.1 OR 2303.1.1.2 OF THE 2020 BUILDING CODE OF
 NEW YORK STATE SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) DIMENSIONAL LUMBER THAT HAS A NOMINAL THICKNESS OF TWO INCHES WITH
 A  NOMINAL  WIDTH OF SIX INCHES, OR LESS, SHALL BE ASSUMED TO BE SPRUCE-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00127-01-5
 S. 2091                             2

 
 PINE-FIR STUD GRADE AND SHALL HAVE  STRUCTURAL  PROPERTIES  ASSIGNED  IN
 ACCORDANCE WITH CURRENT ADOPTED STANDARDS; AND
   (II) ALL OTHER DIMENSIONAL LUMBER SHALL BE ASSUMED TO BE HEM-FIR NO. 2
 GRADE  AND  SHALL HAVE STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES ASSIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
 CURRENT ADOPTED STANDARDS.
   § 3. Section 376 of the executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 7 to read as follows:
   7.  TO  DEVELOP  A  PROGRAM  FOR GRADING RECLAIMED WOOD FOR STRUCTURAL
 PURPOSES. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION  WITH  INDUSTRY
 STAKEHOLDERS  AND SHALL INCLUDE STANDARDS FOR DETERMINING THE STRUCTURAL
 INTEGRITY OF RECLAIMED WOOD. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE UPDATED  AS  NECESSARY
 TO REFLECT ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICES.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S2091

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Housing, Construction And Community Development Committee

co-Sponsors

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S2091

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Brian Kavanagh

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Housing, Construction And Community Development Committee

co-Sponsors

Lea Webb

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S2091 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments