NY State Senate Bill 2025-S5511

Senate Bill S5511

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires the New York state energy and research development authority inspect and certify solar energy systems as fire safe

download bill text pdf

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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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 24, 2025	referred to housing, construction and community development

2025-S5511 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Housing, Construction And Community Development
Law Section:: Public Authorities Law
Laws Affected:: Add §1885, Pub Auth L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S8584

2025-S5511 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the New York state energy and research development authority inspect and certify solar energy systems as fire safe and that the results of such inspection are provided to the public.

2025-S5511 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5511

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to authorizing
the New York state energy research and development authority inspect and
certify solar energy systems as fire safe

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill creates a regulatory check to aid in making solar energy safe
and proactive in necessary precautions via annual inspections and
certifications.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The public authorities' law is amended by adding a new
section 1885.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

As we continue to invest in solar energy and other renewable energy
sources, taking each step possible to make sure that we take all precau-
tions and provide the best and safest energy services for NYS remains a
primary focus.

The inspection process of the "Solar safety energy fire safety" act
would allow for evaluations to be done on an annual basis. It would
allow for companies to make the necessary upgrades & repairs to panels,
storage, and in-ground productions etc.

By staying ahead of the process, we can minimize major costly issues
going forward. The initial inspection process sets forth for farms to be
certified, however with this annual bill it sets forth checks and
balances for each sustainable energy farm.

This bill will include the provision to provide transparency for the
communities that benefit from and are currently housing the solar farms
to see the data sheet and report given yearly.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2024- S8584- REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO HOUSING, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMU-
NITY DEVELOPMENT

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S5511 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5511
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 24, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- 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 public authorities law, in relation to authorizing
   the New York state energy research and development  authority  inspect
   and certify solar energy systems as fire safe
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public authorities law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 1885 to read as follows:
   §  1885.  SOLAR  ENERGY SYSTEM FIRE SAFETY. 1. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM" SHALL MEAN TEN OR MORE SOLAR  ENERGY  PANELS
 IN AN ARRAY AND THE ACCOMPANYING UNDERGROUND TRANSMISSION LINES.
   (B)  "SAFETY DATA SHEET" MEANS THE DOCUMENT CONTAINING INFORMATION AND
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR SAFE USE AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH  PARTIC-
 ULAR  CHEMICALS  AND  MATERIALS THAT ARE APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL OCCUPA-
 TIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION.
   2. THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND  DEVELOPMENT  AUTHORITY,  IN
 CONSULTATION  WITH  THE OFFICE OF FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL IS AUTHOR-
 IZED AND DIRECTED TO PROMULGATE RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  CONCERNING  THE
 CERTIFICATION  OF  SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS AS FIRE SAFE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH
 THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   3. THE AUTHORITY, OR A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTED BY THE AUTHORITY,  SHALL
 INSPECT  SOLAR  ENERGY SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE IF SUCH SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
 ARE SAFE AND IF MAINTENANCE RECORDS  OF  THE  SOLAR  ENERGY  SYSTEM  ARE
 ADEQUATE.  THE  AUTHORITY,  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  OFFICE  OF FIRE
 PREVENTION AND CONTROL, IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO  PROMULGATE  RULES
 AND  REGULATIONS  CONCERNING  THE SUFFICIENCY OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR
 SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10195-01-5
 S. 5511                             2

 
   4. THE AUTHORITY, OR A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTED BY THE AUTHORITY,  AFTER
 INSPECTING  A  SOLAR  ENERGY SYSTEM SHALL DETERMINE IF SUCH SOLAR ENERGY
 SYSTEM IS FIRE SAFE, AND IF SO, SHALL CERTIFY SUCH SOLAR  ENERGY  SYSTEM
 AS SUCH.
   5.  IF  THE  AUTHORITY OR A THIRD PARTY DETERMINES THAT A SOLAR ENERGY
 SYSTEM IS NOT FIRE SAFE PURSUANT TO AN INSPECTION UNDER SUBDIVISION FOUR
 OF THIS SECTION, THE AUTHORITY OR SUCH THIRD  PARTY  SHALL  PROVIDE  THE
 REASON  SUCH  SOLAR  ENERGY SYSTEM FAILED SUCH INSPECTION.  FURTHER, THE
 AUTHORITY SHALL PROVIDE A  TIMEFRAME  WITHIN  WHICH  SUCH  SOLAR  ENERGY
 SYSTEM SHALL BE REQUIRED TO PASS INSPECTION.
   6.  EVERY  SOLAR  ENERGY  SYSTEM IN THE STATE SHALL HAVE A SAFETY DATA
 SHEET CONSPICUOUSLY POSTED IN ANY AREA THAT WOULD LIKELY BE ACCESSED  BY
 EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN THE CASE OF A FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY.
   7.  THE  AUTHORITY  SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE
 SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE AND THE  SENATE  ENERGY  AND
 TELECOMMUNICATION COMMITTEE, AND THE ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
 COMMITTEE  AND  THE ASSEMBLY ENERGY COMMITTEE. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE
 THE INFORMATION GATHERED BY THE AUTHORITY, OR THE THIRD PARTY CONTRACTED
 BY THE AUTHORITY, PURSUANT TO THE INSPECTION UNDER  SUBDIVISIONS  THREE,
 FOUR  AND  FIVE  OF THIS SECTION, AND ANY CONCLUSIONS AND/OR RECOMMENDA-
 TIONS OF THE AUTHORITY. SUCH REPORT SHALL  BE  POSTED  PUBLICLY  ON  THE
 AUTHORITY'S WEBSITE AND THE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM COMPANY'S WEBSITE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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