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James Sanders Jr.

Sponsor · State Senator, District 10 · Democratic

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Senate bill · S3179 (2025-26)

Relates to the definition of coal tar and its use in pavement products

PassedLatest action May 4, 2026

Summary

Relates to the definition of coal tar and its use in pavement products.

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Where it stands

Passed the legislature and is awaiting a signature.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A1388, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Passed as A1388, the matching Assembly bill.

Amends the Environmental Conservation Law.

Committee

Environmental Conservation · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Environmental Conservation · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

This bill would reduce the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) limit in New York State's coal tar ban.

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

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateMay 4, 2026Result: passedSenate vote on A1388, the matching Assembly bill.

    (46) (14) (0) (3)

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateFeb 25, 2026Result: passed

    (46) (12) (0) (5)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Environmental Conservation

    Senate Environmental ConservationJan 20, 2026Result: passed

    (8) (1) (0) (1)

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateMar 24, 2025Result: passed

    (46) (13) (0) (4)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Environmental Conservation

    Senate Environmental ConservationFeb 25, 2025Result: passed

    (10) (1) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Anna Kelles, Chris Burdick and 11 more on Agora

  • Democratic13
Show all 13 on Agora
See the full list on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

The sponsor's argument

Why James Sanders Jr. says this is needed

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy and the Environment in the District of Columbia are developing a laboratory protocol and certification program testing polycyclic aromat- ic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in pavement sealcoating used on driveways and parking lots. Under this program, a "gold" certification requires PAR levels to be 1,000 ppm (or 0.196) and a "silver" certification limits PAHs to 10,000 ppm (or 194) or less. This protocol is designed as a national standard and indicates the harm of an increased PAH allowance. According to the CDC, prolonged exposure to PAH compounds, particularly in high concen- trations, through breathing or skin contact can place individuals at an increased risk of cancer. Workers who have been exposed to large amounts of these chemicals have also developed blood and liver abnormalities. Further, high levels of PAHs in coal-tar sealants negatively impact our environment. In light of growing concerns, the European Union set their standard PAH limit to 1,000 in 2012. In 2021, legislation was enacted to ban the sale and use of coal-tar based pavement sealants with PAR levels of in excess of 10,000 milli- grams per kilogram. Only New York State, Maine and the city of Milwau- kee, Wisconsin have adopted the less stringent level of 10,000 ppm. This legislation would bring New York State's existing PAH limits into uniformity with safety standards established by the EPA and DOEE.

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

  1. May 4, 2026

    3RD Reading CAL.101

    3RD READING CAL.101

    NY Senate

  2. May 4, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  3. May 4, 2026

    Substituted

    SUBSTITUTED FOR S3179B

    NY Senate

  4. Mar 31, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO SENATE

    NY Assembly

  5. Mar 31, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED ASSEMBLY

    NY Assembly

Show full history (26 earlier events)
  1. Mar 31, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

    NY Senate

  2. Mar 11, 2026

    Amended

    AMENDED ON THIRD READING 3179B

    NY Senate

  3. Mar 11, 2026

    Recalled From Assembly

    RECALLED FROM ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  4. Mar 11, 2026

    Returned to Senate

    RETURNED TO SENATE

    NY Assembly

  5. Feb 26, 2026

    Amended

    AMENDED ON THIRD READING 1388A

    NY Assembly

  6. Feb 25, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  7. Feb 25, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  8. Feb 25, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

    NY Assembly

  9. Jan 27, 2026

    Advanced to Third Reading

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

    NY Senate

  10. Jan 21, 2026

    2ND Report CAL.

    2ND REPORT CAL.

    NY Senate

  11. Jan 20, 2026

    1ST Report CAL.101

    1ST REPORT CAL.101

    NY Senate

  12. Jan 15, 2026

    Amend and Recommit to Environmental Conservation

    AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

    NY Senate

  13. Jan 7, 2026

    Ordered to Third Reading CAL.50

    ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.50

    NY Assembly

  14. Jan 7, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

    NY Senate

  15. Apr 7, 2025

    Ordered to Third Reading CAL.86

    ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.86

    NY Assembly

  16. Apr 7, 2025

    Substituted

    SUBSTITUTED BY S3179

    NY Assembly

  17. Apr 3, 2025

    Advanced to Third Reading CAL.86

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.86

    NY Assembly

  18. Apr 2, 2025

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED

    NY Assembly

  19. Mar 24, 2025

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  20. Mar 24, 2025

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  21. Mar 24, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

    NY Assembly

  22. Mar 3, 2025

    Advanced to Third Reading

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

    NY Senate

  23. Feb 26, 2025

    2ND Report CAL.

    2ND REPORT CAL.

    NY Senate

  24. Feb 25, 2025

    1ST Report CAL.396

    1ST REPORT CAL.396

    NY Senate

  25. Jan 24, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

    NY Senate

  26. Jan 9, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

    NY Assembly

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 Oct 21, 2026. About our data

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