New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation to ensure qualified individuals perform school fire inspections.
The bill requires both public and private schools to request inspections from the local fire departments or certified fire inspectors. The legislation also provides schools with flexibility in meeting the public notice requirements associated with these inspections and eliminates the "hold harmless" provision which has allowed inspectors who made errors on inspection reports to evade liability. Democrat Kenneth Zebrowski, who sponsored the bill in the Assembly, says the measure overhauls the process to ensure every school is inspected, by only qualified individuals, with accountability and enforcement. Democrat David Carlucci sponsored the bill in the Senate.