NY State Senate Bill 2015-S3983A

Senate Bill S3983A

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Provides standards for the number of water closets in certain areas of public assembly and increases the required number of water closets for women

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last 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
Jan 14, 2016	print number 3983a
Jan 14, 2016	amend and recommit to housing, construction and community development
Jan 06, 2016	referred to housing, construction and community development
Feb 25, 2015	referred to housing, construction and community development

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2015-S3983 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Housing, Construction And Community Development
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §378-a, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S2279
2011-2012: S1137
2013-2014: S3257
2017-2018: S3595
2019-2020: S4959
2021-2022: S5383
2023-2024: S6841

2015-S3983 - Summary

Provides standards for the number of water closets in certain areas of public assembly and increases the required number of water closets for women; sets deadlines for compliance.

2015-S3983 - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S3983

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to standards for the
number of water closets in certain places of public assembly and
increases the number of water closets for women

PURPOSE:

To require twice as many sanitary facilities for women as for men in
buildings used for public assembly.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Creates a new section 378-a of the Executive law to require that
rest-rooms in arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, meeting halls, theaters,
public dance halls, or buildings where alcohol is sold and consumed,
must provide twice as many water closets for women as for men if: the
aforementioned public space is newly constructed; the aforementioned
public space has undergone renovations where the cost of such
alterations in any 12 month period exceeds 30% of the value of the
building or space, or; an existing building or space has been altered
to now become a Public space as listed above.

Provides that arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, meeting halls, theaters,

public dance halls or buildings where alcohol is sold and consumed
that do not meet the conditions outlined above, shall by January 1,
2016, re-designate existing bathrooms if doing so would produce a
ratio that approximates the 2SCRIPT requirement.

Provides that urinals may be provided in bathrooms in lieu of water
closets but the number shall not exceed 50% of the number of sanitary
facilities in such bathrooms.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2011-12: S.1137/A.6808 - Referred to Housing
2009-10:  S.2279-A/A.6424-A - Referred to Housing
2007-08: S.2485/A.4705 - Referred to Housing
2006: S.1351/A.12049 - Referred to Housing

JUSTIFICATION:

According to studies by Dr. Sandra Rawls on patterns of behavior in
the use of bathrooms, it frequently takes women twice as long to use
the bathroom as it does men. The absence of sufficient women's
bathrooms in places of public assembly, and the resultant queues for
women's bathrooms, is one of the most blatant, demeaning, and visible
forms of gender discrimination. The 2003 International Building Code
requires approximately twice as many water closets for women as for
men in places of public assembly. Numerous jurisdictions, including
California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington,
have enacted laws requiring more rest rooms for women.

This bill recognizes the different rest room needs of men and women
and is in keeping with changes in the International Building Code.


EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2015-S3983 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  3983

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 25, 2015
                               ___________

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  executive law, in relation to standards for the
  number of water closets in  certain  places  of  public  assembly  and
  increases the number of water closets for women

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  378-a
to read as follows:
  S  378-A.  STANDARDS  FOR  WATER  CLOSETS  IN CERTAIN PLACES OF PUBLIC
ASSEMBLY. 1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY RULE, REGULATION OR LAW TO THE  CONTRA-
RY,  STANDARDS  FOR  WATER  CLOSETS IN THE BUILDINGS CONTAINING AREAS OF
PUBLIC ASSEMBLY ENUMERATED IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE AS  STATED  IN  THIS
SECTION.
  2.  THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ANY ARENA, AUDITORI-
UM, OR BUILDING WHERE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE SOLD AND CONSUMED, MEETING
HALL, MOTION PICTURE THEATRE, PUBLIC DANCE HALL, STADIUM, OR THEATRE  IN
THE FOLLOWING BUILDINGS OR SPACES:
  A. NEW BUILDINGS OR SPACES;
  B.  EXISTING  BUILDINGS  OR  SPACES THAT ARE ALTERED WHERE THE COST OF
MAKING ALTERATIONS  IN  ANY  TWELVE-MONTH  PERIOD  SHALL  EXCEED  THIRTY
PERCENT OF THE VALUE OF THE BUILDING OR SPACE; AND
  C.  EXISTING BUILDINGS OR SPACES THAT ARE ALTERED WHERE THE ALTERATION
OF THE BUILDING OR SPACE RESULTS IN A  CHANGE  IN  THE  OCCUPANCY  GROUP
CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  BUILDING  OR  SPACE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE
BUILDING CODES APPLICABLE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
  3. BY JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN, ANY ARENA, AUDITORIUM, OR
BUILDING WHERE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE SOLD AND CONSUMED, MEETING  HALL,
MOTION  PICTURE  THEATRE,  PUBLIC  DANCE  HALL,  STADIUM, OR THEATRE NOT
SUBJECT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL  RE-DESIGNATE  EXISTING

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06851-01-5

S. 3983                             2

BATHROOMS  FOR  THE USE BY PERSONS OF ONE SEX TO THE OTHER, IF MORE THAN
TWO BATHROOMS EXIST IN SUCH FACILITY, AND IF DOING SO  WOULD  PRODUCE  A
RATIO OF WATER CLOSETS DESIGNATED FOR THE USE OF WOMEN AND MEN THAT MORE
CLOSELY  APPROXIMATES  THE  RATIO  OF  WOMEN'S  TO  MEN'S  WATER CLOSETS
REQUIRED UNDER SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION.
  4. A. THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF WATER CLOSETS PURSUANT
TO THIS SECTION FOR ANY ARENA, AUDITORIUM, OR BUILDING  WHERE  ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES  ARE  SOLD AND CONSUMED, MEETING HALL, MOTION PICTURE THEATRE,
PUBLIC DANCE HALL, STADIUM, OR THEATRE SHALL BE AS LISTED IN TABLE 1.
                                  TABLE 1

NUMBER OF PERSONS    NUMBER OF WATER CLOSETS    NUMBER OF WATER CLOSETS
                            FOR MEN                    FOR WOMEN
1-150                           1                        2
151-300                         2                        4
301-450                         3                        6
FOR OCCUPANCY BY MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY PERSONS,  THERE  SHALL  BE
ONE  WATER CLOSET FOR MEN AND TWO WATER CLOSETS FOR WOMEN FOR EACH ADDI-
TIONAL THREE HUNDRED PERSONS.  THE  POPULATION  USED  TO  DETERMINE  THE
NUMBER  OF WATER CLOSETS REQUIRED SHALL BE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
TO OCCUPY THE SPACE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IN NO CASE SHALL THE  POPU-
LATION BE DEEMED LESS THAN THAT DETERMINED BY ALLOWING ONE HUNDRED TWEN-
TY-FIVE SQUARE FEET OF FLOOR AREA PER PERSON.
  B.  URINALS  MAY BE PROVIDED IN BATHROOMS IN LIEU OF WATER CLOSETS BUT
THE NUMBER SHALL NOT EXCEED FIFTY PERCENT  OF  THE  REQUIRED  NUMBER  OF
SANITARY FIXTURES.
  S  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided that the secretary of state  is  immediately
authorized and directed to promulgate, amend and/or repeal any rules and
regulations  necessary  to  implement  the provisions of this act on its
effective date.

2015-S3983A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Housing, Construction And Community Development
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §378-a, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S2279
2011-2012: S1137
2013-2014: S3257
2017-2018: S3595
2019-2020: S4959
2021-2022: S5383
2023-2024: S6841

2015-S3983A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides standards for the number of water closets in certain areas of public assembly and increases the required number of water closets for women; sets deadlines for compliance.

2015-S3983A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S3983A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to standards for the
number of water closets in certain places of public assembly and
increases the number of water closets for women

 PURPOSE :

To require twice as many sanitary facilities for women as for men in
buildings used for public assembly.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Creates a new section 378-a of the Executive law to require that
rest-rooms in arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, meeting halls, theaters,
public dance halls, or buildings where alcohol is sold and consumed,
must provide twice as many water closets for women as for men if: the
aforementioned public space is newly constructed; the aforementioned
public space has undergone renovations where the cost of such
alterations in any 12 month period exceeds 30% of the value of the
building or space, or; an existing building or space has been altered
to now become a Public space as listed above.

Provides that arenas, stadiums, auditoriums, meeting halls, theaters,

public dance halls or buildings where alcohol is sold and consumed
that do not meet the conditions outlined above, shall by January 1,
2016, re-designate existing bathrooms if doing so would produce a
ratio that approximates the 2:1 requirement.

Provides that urinals may be provided in bathrooms in lieu of water
closets but the number shall not exceed 50% of the number of sanitary
facilities in such bathrooms.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2011-12: S.1137/A.6808 - Referred to Housing
2009-10: S.2279-A/A.6424-A - Referred to Housing
2007-08: S.2485/A.4705 - Referred to Housing
2006: S.1351/A.12049 - Referred to Housing

 JUSTIFICATION :

According to studies by Dr. Sandra Rawls on patterns of behavior in
the use of bathrooms, it frequently takes women twice as long to use
the bathroom as it does men. The absence of sufficient women's
bathrooms in places of public assembly, and the resultant queues for
women's bathrooms, is one of the most blatant, demeaning, and visible
forms of gender discrimination. The 2003 International Building Code
requires approximately twice as many water closets for women as for
men in places of public assembly. Numerous jurisdictions, including
California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington,
have enacted laws requiring more rest rooms for women.

This bill recognizes the different rest room needs of men and women
and is in keeping with changes in the International Building Code.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

2015-S3983A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 3983--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 25, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction  and
  Community  Development  --  recommitted  to  the Committee on Housing,
  Construction and Community Development in accordance with Senate  Rule
  6,  sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
  amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the executive law, in  relation  to  standards  for  the
  number  of  water  closets  in  certain  places of public assembly and
  increases the number of water closets for women

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 378-a
to read as follows:
  S 378-A. STANDARDS FOR WATER  CLOSETS  IN  CERTAIN  PLACES  OF  PUBLIC
ASSEMBLY.  1. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY RULE, REGULATION OR LAW TO THE CONTRA-
RY, STANDARDS FOR WATER CLOSETS IN THE  BUILDINGS  CONTAINING  AREAS  OF
PUBLIC  ASSEMBLY  ENUMERATED  IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE AS STATED IN THIS
SECTION.
  2. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ANY ARENA,  AUDITORI-
UM, OR BUILDING WHERE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE SOLD AND CONSUMED, MEETING
HALL,  MOTION PICTURE THEATRE, PUBLIC DANCE HALL, STADIUM, OR THEATRE IN
THE FOLLOWING BUILDINGS OR SPACES:
  A. NEW BUILDINGS OR SPACES;
  B. EXISTING BUILDINGS OR SPACES THAT ARE ALTERED  WHERE  THE  COST  OF
MAKING  ALTERATIONS  IN  ANY  TWELVE-MONTH  PERIOD  SHALL  EXCEED THIRTY
PERCENT OF THE VALUE OF THE BUILDING OR SPACE; AND
  C. EXISTING BUILDINGS OR SPACES THAT ARE ALTERED WHERE THE  ALTERATION
OF  THE  BUILDING  OR  SPACE  RESULTS IN A CHANGE IN THE OCCUPANCY GROUP
CLASSIFICATION OF THE BUILDING OR SPACE  UNDER  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THE
BUILDING CODES APPLICABLE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06851-02-6

S. 3983--A                          2

  3.  BY JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND EIGHTEEN, ANY ARENA, AUDITORIUM, OR
BUILDING WHERE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE SOLD AND CONSUMED, MEETING  HALL,
MOTION  PICTURE  THEATRE,  PUBLIC  DANCE  HALL,  STADIUM, OR THEATRE NOT
SUBJECT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL  RE-DESIGNATE  EXISTING
BATHROOMS  FOR  THE USE BY PERSONS OF ONE SEX TO THE OTHER, IF MORE THAN
TWO BATHROOMS EXIST IN SUCH FACILITY, AND IF DOING SO  WOULD  PRODUCE  A
RATIO OF WATER CLOSETS DESIGNATED FOR THE USE OF WOMEN AND MEN THAT MORE
CLOSELY  APPROXIMATES  THE  RATIO  OF  WOMEN'S  TO  MEN'S  WATER CLOSETS
REQUIRED UNDER SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION.
  4. A. THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR THE NUMBER OF WATER CLOSETS PURSUANT
TO THIS SECTION FOR ANY ARENA, AUDITORIUM, OR BUILDING  WHERE  ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES  ARE  SOLD AND CONSUMED, MEETING HALL, MOTION PICTURE THEATRE,
PUBLIC DANCE HALL, STADIUM, OR THEATRE SHALL BE AS LISTED IN TABLE 1.
                                  TABLE 1

NUMBER OF PERSONS    NUMBER OF WATER CLOSETS    NUMBER OF WATER CLOSETS
                            FOR MEN                    FOR WOMEN
1-150                           1                        2
151-300                         2                        4
301-450                         3                        6
FOR OCCUPANCY BY MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY PERSONS,  THERE  SHALL  BE
ONE  WATER CLOSET FOR MEN AND TWO WATER CLOSETS FOR WOMEN FOR EACH ADDI-
TIONAL THREE HUNDRED PERSONS.  THE  POPULATION  USED  TO  DETERMINE  THE
NUMBER  OF WATER CLOSETS REQUIRED SHALL BE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
TO OCCUPY THE SPACE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IN NO CASE SHALL THE  POPU-
LATION BE DEEMED LESS THAN THAT DETERMINED BY ALLOWING ONE HUNDRED TWEN-
TY-FIVE SQUARE FEET OF FLOOR AREA PER PERSON.
  B.  URINALS  MAY BE PROVIDED IN BATHROOMS IN LIEU OF WATER CLOSETS BUT
THE NUMBER SHALL NOT EXCEED FIFTY PERCENT  OF  THE  REQUIRED  NUMBER  OF
SANITARY FIXTURES.
  S  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided that the secretary of state  is  immediately
authorized and directed to promulgate, amend and/or repeal any rules and
regulations  necessary  to  implement  the provisions of this act on its
effective date.

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