Legislation Impacting LL152

Introduced – Not Yet Enacted

02/28/2024 – Int 429-2024 – A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the fuel gas code in relation to periodic inspections of gas piping systems, ordinary plumbing work, reestablishing the plumbing and fire suppression piping contractor license board, piping systems, emergency work, fire suppression piping work, and seizure.

Click HERE to review Int 429-2024 on the NY City Council website.
Sponsors: Council Members Pierina Ana Sanchez, Justin L. Brannan, Julie Won
Status: Hearing held 10/16/2024 and currently Laid Over by Committee.

Click HERE for the calendar page and then click on Meeting Details, Agenda, Minutes and/or Video for more details about the completed hearing.

Click HERE to go straight to the video.

To watch the testimony only related to Int 0429-2024 which would amend among other things, certain provisions of Local Law 152 use this guide:
00:13:50 to 00:27:30 – Testimony by Constadino (Gus) Sirakis, First Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Buildings and Tarek Khalil, Assistant Commissioner for Central Inspections, New York City Department of Buildings.

00:46:25 to 01:08:00 – Questions from Committee Chair, Pierina Ana Sanchez, to Gus and Tarek regarding their testimony.
01:42:20 to 02:01:30 – Testimony by George Bassolino, Master Plumbers Council of the City of New York; Terence O’Brien, Association of Contracting Plumbers; April McIver, Plumbing Foundation City of New York and John Sullivan, Plumbers Local 1.

Summary:
This bill would amend the gas piping inspections, entities inspecting active gas systems, the scope of inspections, and the reporting and correcting of conditions outlined in the periodic inspections of gas piping systems. Additionally, it would change the definition of ordinary plumbing work to include the replacement of household gas appliances, and other revisions. This bill would also reinstate the plumbing and fire suppression license board and amend the definition of emergency work to include work to restore the system to good and working condition without a permit when done to correct an emergency condition. This bill would remove the exception of plumbing work from the definition of fire suppression piping work and expand the Department of Buildings’ power to seize tools and vehicles when it suspects there is unlicensed or unregistered work occurring. Finally, this bill would amend the definition of piping systems to include appliance connections rather than the outlet of the shutoff valve.

REPLACED BY INT 429-2024. 11/02/2023 – Int 1247-2023 – A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the fuel gas code in relation to periodic inspections of gas piping systems, ordinary plumbing work, reestablishing the plumbing and fire suppression piping contractor license board, piping systems, emergency work, fire suppression piping work, and seizure. It appears that this Int would supersede Int 2377-2021 from 08/26/2021 and clarify that tenant spaces that are not “dwelling spaces” will be subject to inspection. See Pg 4 of the Int/§ 28-318.3.2 Scope/Exceptions.

Click HERE to review Int 1247-2023 on the NY City Council website.
Sponsors: Council Members Pierina Ana Sanchez, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Lincoln Restler, Farah N. Louis

REPLACED BY INT 1247-2023 08/26/2021 – Int 2377-2021 – A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to extending the physical scope of gas piping inspections.

Click HERE to review Int 2377-2021 on the NY City Council website.
Sponsor: Council Member Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.

Summary:
Pursuant to Local Law 152 of 2016 and Department of Buildings (DOB), rules, between January 1 and December 31 of every fourth year, building gas piping systems must be inspected in community districts in all boroughs. DOB rules also require submission of a certification that all conditions identified in the inspection report have been corrected no later than 120 days, or if more time is needed, no later than 180 days following the inspection date. Currently, inspections conducted under Local Law 152 include exposed gas lines from point of entry up to individual tenant spaces. This bill extends the physical scope of inspection from individual tenant spaces to the point of connection for any equipment that uses gas supplied by gas piping.

07/29/2021 – Int 2361-2021 – Proposal to create a questionnaire related to the inspection and correction of building gas piping systems.

Click HERE to review Int 2361-2021 on the NY City Council website.
Sponsor: Council Member Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.

Summary:
Pursuant to Local Law 152 of 2016 and Department of Buildings (DOB), rules, between January 1 and December 31 of every fourth year, building gas piping systems must be inspected in community districts in all boroughs. DOB rules also require submission of a certification that all conditions identified in the inspection report have been corrected no later than 120 days, or if more time is needed, no later than 180 days following the inspection date. This bill would require DOB to create a questionnaire that could be shared with stakeholders and members of the public. Through this questionnaire, DOB could seek feedback on Local Law 152. Starting on March 1, 2022, and on every following March 1, DOB would be required to report to the Council, the Mayor, and post on its website, the results of the questionnaires received during the prior calendar year.

Enacted/Adopted

11/18/2024 – Adopted DOB Rule regarding change to Penalty for Failure to File Certification of Gas Piping Inspection for a 3 Family Dwelling from $5,000 to $1,500.

Adopted 11/4/2024 and effective 11/18/2024. The rule amendment lowers the civil penalty amount for failure to file a certification of inspection of a building’s gas piping system for 3-family buildings. The civil penalty amount applicable to such buildings is lowered from $5,000 to $1,500. The lower amount is less of a hardship for owners of these smaller buildings (the smallest buildings that are subject to this requirement) yet still serve as a penalty for noncompliance. For larger buildings, the civil penalty amount for failure to file a certification of inspection remains at $5,000.
Click HERE to see the DOB Rule page

09/13/2022 – Adopted DOB Rule regarding certifications of inspection for gas piping systems.

Adopted 09/13/2022 and Effective 10/22/2022 – The Department of Buildings hereby hereby adopts the amendments to Section 103-10 of Chapter 100 of Title 1 of the Rules of the City of New York, regarding certifications of inspection for gas piping systems.
Click HERE to see the DOB Rule page

11/21/2021 – Enacted Inspection of building gas piping systems and extension of time to complete work required by inspection and clarification of the difference between a building with gas piping and no gas service VS a building without gas piping. Additionally a Licensed Master Plumbers (LMP), in addition to Registered Design Professionals (RDP), may now certify in the DOB GPS-2 form that a building contains no gas piping and is not required to comply with the gas piping inspection requirements in Local Law 152 of 2016.

The New York City Council has passed – Introduction 2321-2021
Click HERE to see the NY City Council Legislation page for Introduction 2321-2021.
Click HERE to see the PDF of the Bill.
Click HERE to see the PDF of the 12/30/2021 DOB Service Notice Follow-Up #5 – Local Law 152 of 2016 that outlines these procedures.
Click HERE to see the PDF of actual Local Law 138 which made effective, as of 03/22/2022, § 28-318.3.7 Extension of time to complete inspection.
Click HERE to see the PDF of the 12/30/2021 DOB Service Notice Follow-Up #6 – Local Law 152 of 2016 that outlines § 28-318.3.7 Extension of time to complete inspection.

Summary:
Pursuant to Local Law 152 of 2016 and Department of Buildings (DOB), rules, between January 1 and December 31 of every fourth year, building gas piping systems must be inspected in community districts in all boroughs. DOB rules also require submission of a certification that all conditions identified in the inspection report have been corrected no later than 120 days, or if more time is needed, no later than 180 days following the inspection date. Although a late certification is permitted when additional time for a correction is needed, where a property owner is unable to timely complete an inspection, there is no way for the property owner to seek an extension of time to complete the inspection. In addition, a property owner is required to have gas piping in their building inspected, even if the building does not have active gas service. This bill would allow a property owner of a building with gas piping but not active gas service to forego their gas piping inspection so long as they provide certification from their utility company and themselves that there is no active gas service in their building. If they resume gas service they must obtain a certificate of approval of gas installation from DOB and comply with the gas piping inspection and certification requirements of local Law 152. This bill also allows DOB to grant additional time to submit a certification, beyond 180 days, if additional time is needed to ameliorate conditions that must be corrected. Finally, this bill provides a 180 day extension to comply with both the inspection and certification requirements of Local Law 152 for any building owner who requests an extension.

11/22/2021 – Enacted Deadline Extension for Community Districts 2, 5, 7, 13, and 18 in all boroughs until June 30, 2022.

The New York City Council has passed – Introduction 2259-2021
Click HERE to see the NY City Council Legislation page for Introduction 2259-2021.
Click HERE to see the PDF of the Bill.
Click HERE to see the PDF of actual Local Law 137 which made effective, as of 11/22/2021, an extension of the deadlines for inspection and correction of building gas piping systems in certain community districts.
Click HERE to see the PDF of the 12/2/2021 DOB Service Notice Follow-Up #4 – Local Law 152 of 2016 extending the deadline.

Summary:
Pursuant to Local Law 152 of 2016 and Department of Buildings (DOB) rules, between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, building gas piping systems must be inspected in community districts (CD) 2, 5, 7, 13, and 18 in all boroughs. DOB rules also require submission of a certification that all conditions identified in the inspection report have been corrected no later than 120 days or if more time is needed no later than 180 days following the inspection date. This bill would extend the December 31, 2021 inspection deadline for buildings in CD 2, 5, 7, 13, and 18 in all boroughs until June 30, 2022. The bill provides that for such buildings inspected between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, the certification of correction may be submitted later than 120 days or later than 180 days following the inspection date, as applicable, but no later than June 30, 2022. This bill would also require DOB to conduct targeted outreach regarding complying with the requirements of Local Law 152 of 2016 by December 1, 2021.

07/01/2021 – Adopted DOB Rule regarding certifications of inspection for gas piping systems.

Adopted 07/01/2021 and Effective 08/11/2021 – The Department of Buildings hereby adopts the amendments to Section 103-10 of Chapter 100 of Title 1 regarding certifications of inspection for gas piping systems.
Click HERE to see the DOB Rule page

01/17/2021 – Enacted Deadline Extension for Community Districts 1, 3 & 10 in all boroughs until June 30, 2021

The New York City Council has passed – Introduction 2151-2020 – Version:B – A Local Law in relation to extending the deadlines for inspection and correction of building gas piping systems in certain community districts to 06/30/2021.
ACTION as of 12/17/2020 is Approved By Council and passed.
STATUS is Enacted (Mayor’s Desk for Signature)

Click HERE to see the legislation page.
Click HERE to see the PDF of actual Local Law 012 which made effective, as of 01/17/2021, an extension of the deadlines for inspection and correction of building gas piping systems in certain community districts.
Also to access the DOB Service Updates site and see the list of updates – Click HERE. (A December update, Follow Up #3 has been posted)

On Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 4:00 PM Housing and Buildings Committee Chair Robert Cornegy held a 9 minute hearing with other committee council members and approved the Proposed Int. No. 2151-B.
The City Council will have a final vote on 12/17/2020 to affirm that the current 12/31/2020 deadline for a Local Law 152 inspection in community districts 1. 3 and 10 will be extended to 06/30/2020. It is expected to pass.Click HERE to see the Committee Green Sheet announcing the Committee on Housing and Buildings – 12/15/2020 REMOTE HEARING (VIRTUAL ROOM 5)
For the replay on the NY City Council site Click HERE

On Wednesday 12/02/2020 the NY City Council held an afternoon hearing that addressed this and other important topics.
Click HERE for the agenda.

For the replay on the NY City Council site Click HERE

Comments specific to Local Law 152 are as follows:

00:19:21 Melanie La Rocca, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings
00:56:36 Daniel Dromm, NY City Council Member, District 25
02:33:30 George Bassolino, Master Plumbers Council of the City of NY
02:36:30 April McIver, Executive Director, The Plumbing Foundation, City of NY
02:39:21 George Bassolino, Master Plumbers Council of the City of NY along with Housing and Buildings Committee Chair Robert Cornegy and Aurthur Goldstein, Esq. Chair – New York City Government Relations Practice Group at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP