Creates a religious exemption to the ban on fossil fuel equipment and systems

Latest action May 11, 2026

Provides an exemption for the purposes of allowing the installation and use of fossil-fuel equipment and building systems where such are installed and used in a building or part of a building that is owned or occupied by a person who holds genuine and sincere religious beliefs and whose health and safety will be jeopardized due to the prohibition of the installation of fossil-fuel equipment and building systems because of such genuine and sincere religious beliefs.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Assigned to a committee for review.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A5526, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Energy Law.

Committee

Energy · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Energy And Telecommunications · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To allow a building or part of a building owned or occupied by a person who holds genuine and sincere religious beliefs, and who's health and safety will be jeopardized due to the prohibition of the installation of fossil-fuel equipment and building systems because of such genuine and sincere religious beliefs, a religious exemption to the ban on fossil fuel equipment.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Cosponsors

Mario Mattera and Steve Rhoads

Republican2

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why William Weber says this is needed

Members of the orthodox Jewish community are prohibited from starting new fires on the Sabbath. They are fearful if they own or occupy a building prohibited from using fossil-fuel equipment or building systems and are forced to use electric stoves they may be unable to fully observe the Sabbath in the event of a power outage. With gas stoves, they can keep a candle burning and re-ignite the stove as needed. This is impossible with an electric stove and therefore any building they own or occupy should be exempt from this prohibition.

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 11, 2026
Held for Consideration in Energy
HELD FOR CONSIDERATION IN ENERGY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENERGY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
NY Senate
Feb 14, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENERGY
NY Assembly
Jan 14, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 2, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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