A 4493: Establishes the disaster-related latent damage recovery grant program to repair latent damage to public infrastructure, including publicly-owned roads, bridges, drainage and flood mitigation systems, electrical and mechanical systems and communication systems, and any ancillary infrastructure necessary for the safe operation of the components thereof, where such damage was the result of a natural disaster.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4493 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. GALLAHAN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the disaster-related latent damage recovery grant program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 720 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 720. Disaster-related latent damage recovery grant program. 1. 4 There is hereby established the disaster-related latent damage recovery 5 grant program to be administered by the division of homeland security 6 and emergency services. 7 2. Projects eligible for program grants shall be limited to projects 8 to repair latent damage to public infrastructure, including publicly- 9 owned roads, bridges, drainage and flood mitigation systems, electrical 10 and mechanical systems and communication systems, and any ancillary 11 infrastructure necessary for the safe operation of the components there- 12 of, where such damage was the result of a natural disaster for which the 13 governor of the state of New York made a declaration of a state of emer- 14 gency. For purposes of this section, "latent damage" shall be defined as 15 damage that was not reasonably apparent during any initial damage 16 assessments. In no event shall grants be awarded for, nor shall grant 17 money be used for, infrastructure repairs that are required due to 18 normal use and wear and tear. 19 3. The commissioner of the division of homeland security and emergency 20 services shall establish procedures for receipt of applications from 21 municipalities and for the issuance of grants authorized by this section 22 within available appropriations. Application for such grants shall be 23 submitted no more than seven years, but no less than one year, after the 24 governor's declaration of the state of emergency that renders a munici- 25 pality eligible for grants authorized by this section. In no event shall EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07339-01-5 
 A. 4493 2 1 grants exceed ten percent of the sum of any state or federal disaster 2 assistance monies granted to a municipality as a result of a natural 3 disaster that were awarded prior to an application for a grant stemming 4 from the same natural disaster. In no event shall a municipality receive 5 a grant in excess of ten million dollars in a given calendar year. 6 4. Funding for such program shall consist of all revenue received 7 pursuant to an appropriation thereto, and all other monies appropriated, 8 credited or transferred from any other source pursuant to law. Nothing 9 in this section shall be deemed to prevent the state from receiving 10 grants, gifts or bequests for the purpose of the program. Grants shall 11 only be awarded based upon the availability of funds. 12 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding 13 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, 14 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces- 15 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 16 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.