Carlucci, Zebrowski Urge the Governor to Sign Code Enforcement Integrity Legislation

Carlucci, Zebrowski Urge the Governor to Sign Code Enforcement Integrity Legislation

NEW CITY, NY -- State Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) and Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski (D-Rockland) called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign their code enforcement integrity bill S1642/A1310. This bill would allow the NY Secretary of State to revoke the certificates of code enforcement officers on grounds of misconduct following a hearing.

Although the Department of State issues the certifications, the Department only has the authority to revoke the certification if the official failed to complete the training. There was an incident in the Town of Ramapo where a fire inspector was cited by the State Education Department for failing to note serious violations at several non-public schools during the course of an annual fire inspection. The legislation would allow the Department of State to investigate claims of misconduct and revoke an officer's certification if they were found to have made material errors or omissions on an inspection report.

"We have unfortunately seen issues with buildings that haven't been properly inspected or even inspected at all. There are significant safety risks for the users of the structure and dangerous conditions for our first responders. Giving the State the ability to punish these negligent inspectors is critical to protecting the health and well-being of everyone in our community." said Senator Carlucci.

“This legislation is a key step in restoring proper code enforcement in Rockland County. It is illogical that the Department of State is able to issue code enforcement official certifications, but does not have the authority to revoke that certification in the event of misconduct. It’s time to weed out the bad apples that are skirting the law and are failing to do their job, which is keeping Rockland residents safe. I hope that the Governor recognizes how significant this bill is for the entire State and swiftly signs it into law,” concluded Assemblyman Zebrowski.