Bill Text: NY S05773 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires certain public utilities, telecommunication carriers and internet or broadband providers operating within the bounds of any county that is required to have a local comprehensive emergency management plan to create a severe weather emergency response plan and to participate with any county they operate within in a biannual disaster drill.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS [S05773 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S05773-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5773

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                     March 18, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
          cations

        AN  ACT  to  amend the public service law, in relation to severe weather
          emergency response plans

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
     2  28 to read as follows:
     3    § 28. Severe weather emergency response plans. 1. Any  public  utility
     4  authority, utility corporation, telecommunication carrier pursuant to 47
     5  U.S.C. § 214(e), or internet or broadband provider, operating within the
     6  bounds  of  any  county  that  is required to have a local comprehensive
     7  emergency management plan shall create, with assistance from the  appro-
     8  priate  local  county office charged with emergency response and manage-
     9  ment, a severe weather emergency response  plan  and  shall  participate
    10  with any county they operate within in a biannual disaster drill.
    11    2. The purpose of such plans shall be to minimize the effect of disas-
    12  ters caused by severe weather by (a) identifying appropriate measures to
    13  prevent  disasters,  (b)  developing mechanisms to coordinate the use of
    14  resources and manpower for service during and after  disasters  and  the
    15  delivery  of services to aid and reduce human suffering resulting from a
    16  disaster, and (c) providing for  recovery  and  restoration  of  service
    17  after disasters.
    18    3. Such emergency response plans shall include, but not be limited to:
    19    (a)  Disaster prevention and mitigation. Plans to prevent and minimize
    20  the effects of disasters shall include, but not be limited to:
    21    (i) identification of hazards and assessment of risk;
    22    (ii) recommended disaster prevention and  mitigation  projects,  poli-
    23  cies,  priorities and programs, with suggested implementation schedules;
    24  and

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10283-01-1
        S. 5773                             2

     1    (iii) such other measures as reasonably can be taken to protect lives,
     2  prevent disasters, and reduce their impact.
     3    (b)  Disaster  response.  Plans to coordinate the use of resources and
     4  manpower for service during and after disasters and to deliver  services
     5  to  aid  and  reduce  human  suffering  resulting  from a disaster shall
     6  include, but not be limited to:
     7    (i) coordination of resources, manpower and services, using recognized
     8  practices in incident management, utilizing existing  organizations  and
     9  lines of authority and centralized direction of requests for assistance;
    10    (ii)  the location, procurement, construction, processing, transporta-
    11  tion, storing, maintenance, renovation, distribution, disposal or use of
    12  materials;
    13    (iii) a system for warning populations who are or may be endangered;
    14    (iv) a specific plan for rapid and efficient communication,  including
    15  the  assignment  of  responsibilities  and the establishment of communi-
    16  cation priorities and liaison with municipal, state and federal  govern-
    17  ments;
    18    (v)  criteria for establishing priorities with respect to the restora-
    19  tion of vital services and debris removal;
    20    (vi) providing information to the public; and
    21    (vii) procedures under which the county, city, town, village or  other
    22  political subdivision will be contacted in the event of a disaster.
    23    (c) Recovery. Plans to provide for recovery and restoration of service
    24  after disasters shall include, but not be limited to:
    25    (i)  recommendations for replacement, reconstruction, removal or relo-
    26  cation of damaged or destroyed facilities, infrastructure, or equipment,
    27  and proposed recommendations to minimize the  impact  of  any  potential
    28  future disasters;
    29    (ii)  provisions  for cooperation with local, state, and federal agen-
    30  cies in recovery efforts; and
    31    (iii) provisions for educating local disaster officials  or  organiza-
    32  tions on the severe weather emergency response plan.
    33    §  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
    34  have become a law.