BILL NUMBER: S1951
SPONSOR: WEBER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the energy law and the executive law, in relation to
creating a religious exemption to the ban on fossil fuel equipment and
systems
 
PURPOSE:
To allow a building or part of a building owned or occupied by a person
who holds genuine and sincere religious beliefs, and who's health and
safety will be jeopardized due to the prohibition of the installation of
fossil-fuel equipment and building systems because of such genuine and
sincere religious beliefs, a religious exemption to the ban on fossil
fuel equipment.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Paragraph b of subdivision 7 of section 11-104 of the energy
law, as added by section 1 of part RR of chapter 56 of the laws of 2023
is amended.
Section 2: Paragraph c of subdivision 19 of section 378 of the executive
law, as added by section 3 of part RR of chapter 56 of the laws of 2023
is amended.
Section 3: Sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Members of the orthodox Jewish community are prohibited from starting
new fires on the Sabbath. They are fearful if they own or occupy a
building prohibited from using fossil-fuel equipment or building systems
and are forced to use electric stoves they may be unable to fully
observe the Sabbath in the event of a power outage. With gas stoves,
they can keep a candle burning and re-ignite the stove as needed. This
is impossible with an electric stove and therefore any building they own
or occupy should be exempt from this prohibition.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Unknown
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S1951: 11-104 energy law, 11-104(7) energy law, 378 executive law, 378(19) executive law