New York Senate Bill S06824

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/25/25
• Refer: 3/25/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Provides that employees of the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation who engage in tree maintenance must first obtain an appropriate sawyer certification through the United States forest service national crosscut and chainsaw program.

Summary

S06824 would amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law to require certain employees of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to obtain United States Forest Service National Crosscut and Chainsaw Program sawyer certifications before performing tree maintenance work. The bill sets three certification levels: Level A for general tree maintenance activities such as brushing, bucking, limbing, and felling; Level B for tree maintenance performed in hazardous conditions; and Level C for employees who provide instruction and training on tree maintenance. The bill also requires that any mandated training be completed during regular working hours and that employees be paid their regular rate of pay while attending it. It defines hazardous conditions broadly to include situations posing significant risk to health and safety, such as natural disasters, extreme weather, and other emergency situations. The measure would take effect immediately, but the certification requirement would begin on April 1, 2026.

Impact

This bill would add a new section to the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law and create a specific training and certification mandate for employees of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation who perform tree maintenance. It would standardize qualifications for sawyer-related work, including work in dangerous conditions and training roles, and would require the state to compensate employees for training time during regular work hours. The practical effect would be to impose a new employment and safety compliance requirement on the agency and its workforce.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript, recorded vote, or other formal debate, so there is no documented opposition or support to measure directly. Based on the bill text, the measure appears safety-oriented and administrative in nature, aimed at ensuring trained personnel perform potentially dangerous tree work. The absence of votes or discussion suggests sentiment cannot be reliably characterized beyond the bill’s apparent focus on worker safety and professional certification.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, if the bill were discussed, could include the cost and administrative burden of requiring certifications, the time needed for employees to obtain them, and whether the certification levels are appropriately matched to the work performed. Another possible issue is how broadly “hazardous conditions” is defined, since that could affect when the higher certification requirement applies.