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Council delays enforcement date for battery-powered natural-gas alarms in Intro 12‑81A pending device availability
Summary
Council member Eric Dinowitz sponsored Intro 12‑81A to postpone the compliance date for a local law requiring natural-gas alarms after supply and manufacturing problems left devices unavailable; the bill would delay the mandate to at least Jan. 1, 2027, with a further extension possible.
Council member Eric Dinowitz presented Intro 12‑81A on June 11, seeking to postpone the compliance date for a local law that requires battery-powered natural-gas alarms in residential buildings. Dinowitz said the original Local Law 157 of 2016 established important safety requirements but that the devices specified in the law are currently unavailable or unreliable, creating a compliance burden that could lead to unfair fines.
Dinowitz summarized the introduced approach: the bill would postpone the natural-gas alarm requirement to no earlier than Jan. 1, 2027. It would also require the Department of Buildings (DOB) to submit a determination to the mayor and council by July 1, 2026 on whether four distinct manufacturers of battery-powered natural-gas alarms are available. If DOB finds an insufficient number, the compliance date could be extended to Jan. 1, 2029, Dinowitz said.
He argued the measure preserves safety standards while avoiding penalizing New Yorkers for supply-chain problems and device failures that are outside residents’ control. Dinowitz urged passage and thanked the speaker and committee members for their partnership. Committee reports show Intro 12‑81A was “amended and coupled on general orders.”
The council placed the item on the general-orders calendar for the day's votes.
