Senator Roxanne J. Persaud Sponsors Legislation to Protect Citizens from Potential Hazards

(Albany, NY) Legislation sponsored by NYS Senator Roxanne J. Persaud today passed the Senate with a vote of 60-3. This bill makes installing or having knowledge of an unlawfully installed gas meter a class B misdemeanor.

BILL NUMBER: S5346 prevents theft of services from gas companies but also protects citizens from the potential hazards of unlawfully installed gas meters. When installed lawfully, the meters and gas lines are subject to regulations to prevent accident or injury.

Unlawfully installed systems often use non-standard materials such as plastic flex piping which is less expensive, but also unsafe and has been involved in gas explosions such as the one that occurred in East Village Manhattan in 2015 that killed two people and injured nineteen.

Illegally installed meters and gas lines do not receive reliable safety inspections. They are dangerous and place the lives of the building's occupants at risk. The bill holds accountable any person involved in this illegal action applies a penalty of a term of imprisonment not to exceed one year.

“The safety of our families is my utmost priority. I will continue to fight to enact legislation to help keep New Yorkers safe. In addition, when we put measures in place to prevent accidents and injury, we are protecting everyone.” Senator Persaud said.