Relates to the mechanical insulation energy savings program, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9479
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 7, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BRONSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Energy
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to  the  mechan-
   ical insulation energy savings program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 1885 of the public authorities law, as added  by  a
 chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the public authorities law relating
 to  establishing  the  mechanical  insulation energy savings program, as
 proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2457-B and A. 3999-B is amended
 to read as follows:
   § 1885. Mechanical insulation energy savings program. 1.  Definitions.
 For purposes of this section:
   (a)  "Applicant"  shall  mean  any  school  district[,] AND MAY AT THE
 DISCRETION OF THE AUTHORITY INCLUDE ANY PUBLIC HOUSING OR public  hospi-
 tal,  [public  housing  building, or political subdivision as defined in
 the general municipal law,] with a building or  buildings  that  have  a
 potential need for mechanical insulation upgrades.  The minimum size for
 any  single  building  to  be considered shall be twenty thousand square
 feet.
   (b) "Mechanical insulation" shall mean insulation  materials,  facings
 and  accessory  products  used  for  thermal requirements for mechanical
 piping and equipment, hot and cold applications,  heating,  ventilation,
 and air-conditioning applications.
   (c)  "Qualified  audit"  shall mean a mechanical insulation audit of a
 building by a qualified contractor, which identifies missing, damaged or
 improperly installed mechanical insulation. Such audit shall include  an
 estimate  of  installation  costs  along  with estimated energy and cost
 savings. Such audit shall be provided by the qualified contractor at  no
 cost to the authority or applicant.
   (d)  "Qualified  mechanical  insulation  expenditures"  shall mean the
 purchase of insulation materials, facings and  accessory  products  used
 for  thermal  requirements  for mechanical piping and equipment, hot and
 cold applications, and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning appli-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06367-07-6
 A. 9479                             2
 
 cations and all associated labor costs  properly  allocable  to  on-site
 preparation, assembly and original installation, so long as performed by
 a qualified contractor and in accordance with sections two hundred twen-
 ty, two hundred twenty-b and two hundred twenty-i of the labor law.
   (e) "Qualified contractor" shall mean an insulation contractor that is
 party  to  an  apprenticeship  agreement,  as  defined  in section eight
 hundred sixteen of the labor law, which is in good standing, appropriate
 for the type and scope of work to be performed,  including  the  minimum
 American  Society  of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engi-
 neers Standard 90.1-2007, providing the energy  standard  for  buildings
 except low-rise residential buildings.
   2.  [The]  SUBJECT  TO  MONIES MADE AVAILABLE TO THE AUTHORITY FOR THE
 PROPER ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM CREATED PURSUANT TO  THIS  SECTION,
 THE  authority is hereby authorized and directed to establish and admin-
 ister WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION,  a  mechan-
 ical insulation energy savings program to [provide applicants with qual-
 ified  audits  and  grants  to  purchase  mechanical  insulation.    The
 authority shall establish an audit  process  whereby  an  applicant  may
 request  a  qualified  audit.  Such audit, if approved by the authority,
 shall be provided to the applicant at no cost.
   3. As part of this program, the  authority  shall]  issue  COMPETITIVE
 grants  ON  A  FIRST  COME  FIRST  SERVED BASIS for applicants that have
 completed a qualified audit, which will cover  [one  hundred]  AT  LEAST
 FIFTY,  BUT  NO MORE THAN SEVENTY-FIVE, percent of the qualified mechan-
 ical insulation expenditures.
   [4. Within one year of the effective date of this section, the author-
 ity shall establish rules and regulations and identify eligible  funding
 to  create  the  mechanical insulation energy savings program and create
 guidelines for preferred applicants, buildings and energy savings.]  THE
 AUTHORITY  MAY  COORDINATE WITH ANOTHER STATE AGENCY OR AUTHORITY, OR AN
 OFFICE THEREOF, TO ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM.
   3. THE AUTHORITY SHALL DEVELOP AND PUBLISH GUIDELINES ESTABLISHING THE
 EVALUATION CRITERIA AND COMPETITIVE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE  MECHAN-
 ICAL INSULATION ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   §  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the public  authorities
 law  relating  to  establishing the mechanical insulation energy savings
 program, as proposed in legislative  bills  numbers  S.  2457-B  and  A.
 3999-B, takes effect.