New York S 2709: Provides protections for telecommunications tower technicians

Bill Text

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S02709 Summary:

BILL NOS02709 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A04938

&nbsp

SPONSORMAY

&nbsp

COSPNSRBASKIN, BRISPORT, BROUK, CLEARE, COONEY, FERNANDEZ, GOUNARDES, HARCKHAM, HINCHEY, HOYLMAN-SIGAL,
 JACKSON, MARTINEZ, MATTERA, MURRAY, PALUMBO, PARKER, RAMOS, RHOADS, RIVERA, RYAN C, RYAN S,
 SCARCELLA-SPANTON, SERRANO, SKOUFIS

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add Art 21-C §§795 - 795-b, Lab L

&nbsp

Provides protections for telecommunications tower technicians, including requiring certain trainings during work hours without a loss of pay; requires certain reporting by bidders for telecommunication contracts.

Go to top S02709 Actions:

BILL NOS02709 

&nbsp

01/22/2025REFERRED TO LABOR

06/09/2025COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

06/09/2025ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1682

06/09/2025SUBSTITUTED BY A4938

&nbspA04938 AMEND= Levenberg (MS)

&nbsp02/10/2025referred to labor

&nbsp04/30/2025reported 

&nbsp05/01/2025advanced to third reading cal.114

&nbsp05/05/2025passed assembly

&nbsp05/05/2025delivered to senate

&nbsp05/05/2025REFERRED TO LABOR

&nbsp06/09/2025SUBSTITUTED FOR S2709

&nbsp06/09/20253RD READING CAL.1682

&nbsp06/09/2025PASSED SENATE

&nbsp06/09/2025RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

&nbsp12/08/2025delivered to governor

&nbsp12/19/2025signed chap.652

&nbsp12/19/2025approval memo.34

Go to topS02709 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS02709 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS02709 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 2709

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 22, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. MAY, BRISPORT, FERNANDEZ, GOUNARDES, HARCKHAM, JACK-
 SON, PALUMBO, RAMOS, SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and
 when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor

 AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to providing protections for
 telecommunications tower technicians

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

 1 Section 1. Legislative intent. Installation and maintenance of tele-
 2 communications equipment on towers is sensitive work that requires dili-
 3 gent consideration of safety concerns. Tower climbing is an essential
 4 yet dangerous job - between 2003 and 2022, 166 workers in the cell tower
 5 industry died on the job - but there are few regulations and safety
 6 standards in place.
 7 Additionally, the existence of multi-layered employment structures in
 8 the industry can weaken employer accountability for ensuring safe condi-
 9 tions, impacting both workers and the public.
 10 The work tower technicians perform ensures New Yorkers have access to
 11 reliable and convenient cell service that is essential to daily life, as
 12 well as reliable 911 services. Many of these towers are state assets or
 13 on state-owned land. New York state has a proprietary and economic
 14 interest in ensuring that its property is properly maintained and safe-
 15 guarded, that equipment installed on state property does not cause any
 16 undue risk to property or livelihood.
 17 § 2. The labor law is amended by adding a new article 21-C to read as
 18 follows:
 19 ARTICLE 21-C
 20 TOWER TECHNICIAN PROTECTIONS
 21 Section 795. Definitions.
 22 795-a. Tower technician protections.
 23 795-b. Severability.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07127-01-5

 S. 2709 2

 1 § 795. Definitions. For the purposes of this article, the following
 2 terms shall have the following meanings:
 3 1. "Bidder" means any individual, business, vendor or other legal
 4 entity, or any employee, agent, consultant or person acting on behalf
 5 thereof, that submits a bid in response to a solicitation.
 6 2. "Telecommunications tower" means any freestanding tower, monopole
 7 or similar structure or facility used for the provision of wireless
 8 services including ancillary telecommunications equipment required to
 9 integrate such structure or facility into an existing or proposed wire-
 10 less network.
 11 3. "Tower technician" means any telecommunications professional who
 12 installs, repairs, and maintains telecommunications towers and equip-
 13 ment.
 14 4.