Establishes minimum regulations for the design and construction of new homes to provide visitability to such homes by persons with disabilities
S 656 requires new homes built with certain New York state or federal financial assistance to include basic accessibility features for people with disabilities. It mandates step-free entrances, 36-inch wide interior doors, environmental controls at accessible heights (15-48 inches above floor), and specific bathroom requirements including grab bar reinforcements and minimum clear floor space. The law applies to detached single-family homes, ground-floor townhouses, or ground-floor units in buildings with three or fewer units. Exclusions cover sites with physically unreasonable constraints and certain mortgage-backed loans (like FHA or Fannie Mae). Violations carry civil penalties of $50-$500 per offense.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 8, 2025
Last action Jan 7, 2026
Floor votes
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No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
upper
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
upper
1 primary · 6 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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