New York Assembly Bill A10066

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/30/26
• Refer: 1/30/26
• Report Pass: 6/4/26
• Refer: 6/4/26
• Engrossed: 6/4/26

Caption

Establishes a comprehensive study of highway construction and maintenance worker safety

Summary

This bill requires the New York State Commissioner of Transportation to contract with a third-party entity to conduct a comprehensive study of worker safety on highway and road construction projects. The study must examine whether current road safety laws and regulations adequately protect workers, identify best practices from other states or countries, evaluate data-driven safety models, and estimate the costs of possible new safety rules. It also must include input from a broad range of stakeholders, including DOT officials, contractors, unions, roadway workers, municipal officials, and contractor associations. The contracted entity must hold at least three public hearings across the state and submit a report with findings and recommendations within one year after the act takes effect. The report must be delivered to state leaders and the commissioner of transportation and published publicly. The bill expressly states that the study’s findings are advisory only and do not bind the governor or the legislature.

Impact

The bill does not directly change existing highway safety statutes or impose new worker protection requirements. Instead, it creates a formal study process that could inform future amendments to transportation, labor, or workplace safety laws and regulations affecting road construction and maintenance projects. Its immediate legal effect is to require the Department of Transportation to procure a study, convene public hearings, and disseminate a report on highway work zone safety.

Sentiment

The bill appears to be broadly supportive of worker safety and infrastructure safety, with an emphasis on gathering evidence before making policy changes. The text frames the issue as urgent, citing work zone intrusions, injuries, and fatalities, which suggests a protective and reform-oriented intent. No vote record or committee transcript is provided, so there is no documented opposition or formal legislative debate in the available materials.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is whether a study is sufficient given the reported safety problems, versus whether the state should enact immediate operational or regulatory changes. Stakeholders likely to focus on this issue include road construction unions and workers, who may favor stronger protections, and contractors or municipal officials, who may be concerned about the cost and feasibility of new rules. The bill also flags anticipated implementation costs and the adequacy of the current regulatory framework as central questions, indicating that the scope and expense of any future reforms may be debated.