Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official source posted by the New York State Senate, fetched 2026-08-11. Nothing is edited or removed. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official source appears here in brackets. The official bill page.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8818
I N S E N A T E
January 8, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to protections for
telecommunications tower technicians; to amend a chapter of the laws
of 2025 amending the labor law relating to providing protections for
telecommunications tower technicians, as proposed in legislative bills
numbers S. 2709 and A. 4938, in relation to the effectiveness thereof;
to repeal certain provisions of a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending
the labor law relating to providing protections for telecommunications
tower technicians, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2709
and A. 4938, relating to legislative intent; and to repeal article
21-C of the labor law relating to protections for tower technicians
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 1 of a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the
labor law relating to providing protections for telecommunications tower
technicians, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2709 and A.
4938, is REPEALED.
§ 2. Article 21-c of the labor law, as added by a chapter of the laws
of 2025 amending the labor law relating to providing protections for
telecommunications tower technicians, as proposed in legislative bills
numbers S. 2709 and A. 4938, is REPEALED.
§ 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 149 to
read as follows:
§ 149. TOWER TECHNICIAN PROTECTIONS. 1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES
OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "STATE AGENCY" OR "STATE AGENCIES" MEANS ALL STATE DEPARTMENTS,
BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, OFFICES OR INSTITUTIONS.
(B) "TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER" MEANS ANY FREESTANDING TOWER, MONOPOLE
OR SIMILAR STRUCTURE OR FACILITY USED FOR THE PROVISION OF WIRELESS
SERVICES INCLUDING ANCILLARY TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO
INTEGRATE SUCH STRUCTURE OR FACILITY INTO AN EXISTING OR PROPOSED WIRE-
LESS NETWORK.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07127-02-6
S. 8818 2
(C) "TOWER TECHNICIAN" MEANS ANY TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL WHO
INSTALLS, REPAIRS, AND MAINTAINS TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWERS AND EQUIP-
MENT.
(D) "CONTRACTOR" MEANS ANY PERSON, FIRM, PARTNERSHIP, CORPORATION,
ASSOCIATION, COMPANY, ORGANIZATION OR OTHER ENTITY, INCLUDING A
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, GENERAL OR PRIME CONTRACTOR, JOINT VENTURE, OR ANY
COMBINATION THEREOF, WHICH ENTERS INTO A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH A
STATE AGENCY.
(E) "TOWER SERVICES" MEANS ANY WORK PERFORMED BY A TOWER TECHNICIAN ON
STATE-OWNED TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWERS.
2. TOWER TECHNICIAN PROTECTIONS. ANY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR TOWER
SERVICES ENTERED INTO BY A STATE AGENCY AND A PRIVATE ENTITY SHALL
INCLUDE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL TOWER TECHNICIANS PERFORMING WORK
PURSUANT TO THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH THE STATE AGENCY. THE TRAIN-
ING REQUIREMENTS FOR TOWER TECHNICIANS SHALL BE DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE
OF GENERAL SERVICES IN CONSULTATION WITH ANY PARTY DEEMED NECESSARY BY
THE OFFICE OF GENERAL SERVICES. SUCH TRAINING REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE
PUBLISHED ON THE OFFICE OF GENERAL SERVICES WEBSITE.
3. A CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE CONFIRMATION TO THE STATE AGENCY THAT
ALL TOWER TECHNICIANS PERFORMING TOWER SERVICES PURSUANT TO THE CONTRACT
HAVE RECEIVED THE TRAINING REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION
PRIOR TO COMMENCING WORK PURSUANT TO THE CONTRACT. SUCH CONFIRMATION
SHALL INCLUDE A LIST OF TOWER TECHNICIANS AND THE DATES WHEN EACH
REQUIRED TRAINING WAS COMPLETED.
4. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE DEEMED TO DIMINISH THE RIGHTS,
PRIVILEGES, OR REMEDIES OF ANY EMPLOYEE UNDER ANY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY.
§ 4. Section 3 of a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the labor law
relating to providing protections for telecommunications tower techni-
cians, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2709 and A. 4938, is
amended to read as follows:
§ 3. This act shall take effect [immediately] ON JULY 1, 2026 AND
SHALL APPLY TO ANY CONTRACT AWARDED ON OR AFTER SUCH EFFECTIVE DATE.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
sections one, two, and three of this act shall take effect on the same
date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending
the labor law relating to providing protections for telecommunications
tower technicians, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 2709 and
A. 4938, takes effect.Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.