Senate bill · S10178 (2025-26)
Relates to protection of underground facilities, mandatory standards for newly installed underground facilities, excavator training and certification…
Official titleShow
Relates to protection of underground facilities, mandatory standards for newly installed underground facilities, excavator training and certification, and damage reporting
The heading above is this same sentence with its legal opening removed. No words were added, changed or reordered.
New York State Senate
Same as A11456, the matching bill in the Assembly.
Summary
Establishes standards for newly installed underground facilities related to locatability and mapping; defines terms; requires the public service commission to establish implementation schedules for locatability and as-built location information.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
Amends the General Business Law.
From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 21, 2026. About our data
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Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
Section 1 - Amends Subdivisions 2, 4, and 5 of the section 760 of the general business law, to refine the definitions of excavation, under- ground facilities, and excavator; adds new subdivisions 10, 12, 13 and 14 to the same section to define "covered excavator worker," "locata- ble," "as-built location data," and "submerged excavation." Section 2 - adds a new section 763-a to the general business law setting forth standards for newly installed underground facilities, including that such underground facilities be recorded using as-build location data and locatable in the field. Section 3 - amends subdivision 5 of section 764 of the General Business to require that excavators or either agents report damage to an under- ground facility that they have caused or discovered to both the operator and the relevant one-call notification center. Section 4 - Amends paragraphs b, d, and e of subdivision 1 of section 119-b of the public service law, to conform with amendments the subdivi- sions 2, 4, and 5 of the section 760 of the general business law contained in section 1 of this bill; adds new paragraphs i, j, k, and 1, to the section 119-b of the public service law to conform to the defi- nitions in subdivisions 10, 12, 13 and 14 of section 760 of the general business law added in section 1 of this bill. Section 5 - Add a new subdivision 2-a to section 119-b of the public service law authorizing the Public Service Commission to adopt rules regarding: minimum standards for locatability and as-built location information in newly installed underground facilities; training examina- tion, certification and renewal requirements for excavators and their agents; and uniform damage reporting requirements for excavators and operators. Section 6 - Provides that the bill is effective on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this act shall apply to underground facilities installed on or after such effective date. Effective immediately, the public service commission is authorized to promulgate, amend, and/or repeal any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on or before such effective date.
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
Where it stands
Assigned to a committee for review.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Consumer Protection · New York State Senate
Also referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions · New York State Assembly, Corporations, Authorities And Commissions · New York State Senate.
The sponsor's argument
Why Christopher Ryan says this is needed
This legislation is necessary to modernize and strengthen New York's framework for protecting underground infrastructure, reducing preventa- ble damage, and improving public safety. As excavation activity increases, particularly in complex environments such as submerged areas, the risk of striking poorly documented or non-locatable underground facilities has grown, leading to service disruptions, environmental harm, and threats to worker and public safety. By requiring that newly installed facilities be locatable and supported by standardized as-built location data, the bill ensures that operators and excavators have access to accurate, usable information. Establishing clear training and certification requirements for excavators and covered excavation workers promotes accountability and consistent adherence to best practices, while uniform damage reporting enhances transparency and rapid response when incidents occur. Together, these measures align regulatory stand- ards with current technology and industry practices, helping to prevent accidents before they occur, minimize costly repairs, and safeguard critical infrastructure across the state.
This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.
Full history
- May 19, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS
NY Assembly
- May 4, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
NY Senate