A 9598: Requires that companies contracting with the state do not contribute to tropical forest degradation or deforestation directly or through their supply chains.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9598  IN ASSEMBLY January 21, 2026 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to prohibitions on the use of certain tropical hardwoods for state contracts The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Paragraphs b, c, d and e of subdivision 1 of section 165 of 2 the state finance law, as added by chapter 83 of the laws of 1995, are 3 amended to read as follows: 4 b. (i) "Tropical hardwood" shall mean any and all hardwood, scientif- 5 ically classified as angiosperm, that grows in any tropical [moist] 6 forest. Tropical hardwoods shall [be] include but not be limited to the 7 following species: 8 Scientific Name Examples of Common [Name] 9 Names 10 Prunus africana African cherry, Red stinkwood 11 Caryocar costaricense Ajo, Aji 12 Calophyllum spp. Bintangor 13 Cedrela spp. Cedar 14 Neobalanocarpus heimii, Chengal 15 Balanocarpus heimii 16 Octomeles sumatrana Miq. Erima, benuang 17 Myroxylon balsamum Estoraque 18 Apuleia leiocarpa Garapa 19 Parastemon urophyllus, Parastemon Malas 20 spicatus Ridley 21 Hopea spp. Merawan 22 Araucaria araucana Monkey Puzzle, Chilean pine 23 Pterocarpus tinctorius Mukula 24 Senna siamea Siamese senna 25 Pometia pinata Taun 26 Milletia leucantha Kurz Thinwin 27 Bulnesia arborea, Bulnesia Verawood, Argentine lignum 28 sarmientoi vitae 29 Tristaniopsis laurina Water gum 30 Terminalia spp. 31 Homalium foetidum Malas EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD14124-03-5 
 A. 9598 2 1 Dillenia papuana Dillenia 2 Canarium spp. Red Canarium, Grey Canarium 3 Burkrella macropoda Rang rang 4 Octomeles sumatrana Erima, Benuang 5 Dracontomelon dao New Guinea walnut 6 Planchonella spp. White Planchonella, Red 7 Planchonella 8 Lophopetalum spp. Perupok 9 Carinian pyriformis Abarco, Jequitiba 10 Mitragyna ciliate Abura 11 Vouacapous americana Acapu 12 Amburana caerensis Amburana, Cerejeira 13 Dalbergia melanoxylon African Blackwood 14 Lovoa spp. African Walnut, Tigerwood 15 Pericopsis elata [Afrormosis] Afrormosia 16 [Shorea almon] [Almon] 17 Aspidosperma megalocarpon Acaretto 18 Peltogyne spp. Amaranth, purpleheart 19 Terminalia amazonia Amarillo Real 20 [Guibourtis] Guibourtia ehie Amazaque 21 Amburana cearensis Amburana, Cerejeira, cumare 22 Pterogyne nitens Amendoim 23 Carapa guianensis Andiroba, False Mahogany 24 Dicorynia guianensis Angilique Cris 25 [Aningeris] Aningeria spp. Aningeria, anegre, 26 anigre 27 Dipterocarpus [grandiflorus] [Apilong] Apitong, Keruing 28 spp. 29 Centrolobium spp. Arariba, Amarillo 30 Brosimum utile Baco 31 Shorea spp. Balau, Selangan batu 32 Ochroma lagopus Balsa 33 Ochroma pyramidale Balsa 34 Myroxylon balsamum Balsamo 35 [Virola spp.] [Banak] 36 [Anisoptera thurifera] [Bella Rose] 37 [Guibourtis] Guibourtia arnoldiana 38 Benge, Mutenye 39 Berlinia spp. Berlinia, Rose Zebrano 40 Symphonia globulifera Boar Wood 41 Deterium [Senegalese] senegalese Boire 42 Caesalpinia echintata, Brazilwood, Pernambuco 43 Paubrasilia eschinata 44 Bertholletia excels Brazil Tree 45 Brosimum alicastrum Breadnut 46 Guilbourtia spp. Bubinga, African 47 (G. demusei, G. pellegriniana, Rosewood, Kevazingo 48 G. tessmannii) 49 Toona calantas, Cedrela calantas Calantas, Kalantas 50 Priora copaifera Cativo 51 Cedrela odorata, Cedrela fissilis Cedro, Cedar, Spanish cedar, 52 South American cedar 53 Ceiba pentandra Ceiba 54 Antiaris africana Chenchen, Antiaris 55 Couratari guianensis Coco Blanco 56 [Dalbergis] Dalbergia 
 A. 9598 3 1 retusa [Concobola] Cocobolo, 2 Granadillo 3 Tabebuia donnell-smithii Copal 4 Daniellia spp. Copal, Daniellia 5 Cordia spp. Cordia, Bocote, Ziricote, Louro 6 Hymenaea courbaril Courbaril, West Indian Locust 7 Dipteryx odorata Cumaru 8 Piptadeniastrum africanum Dahoma, Banzu 9 Calycophyllum candidissimum Degame, Legame Lancewood, 10 Lemonwood 11 Afzelia spp. Doussie, Lingue 12 [Diospyros] Diospyrus spp. Ebony, Macassar 13 ebony, 14 Ceylon ebony 15 Lophira alata Ekki, Azobe, Bangassi, Akoura, 16 Red Ironwood 17 Combretodendron macrocarpum Esia, Essia 18 Cordia goeldiana Freijo, Cordia Wood 19 Chlorophora tinctoria Fustic, Yellow Wood, Tatajuba 20 [Aucoumes] Aucoumea klaineana Gaboon, Okoume 21 Astronium spp. Goncalo Alves, Zebrawood, 22 Tigerwood 23 Ocotea rodiaei Greenheart 24 Enterolobium cyclocarpum Guanacaste, Rain Tree, 25 Elephant Ear 26 Guarea spp. Guarea, Bosse 27 Terminalia ivorensis Idigbo, Framire, Black Afara 28 Phoebe porosa Imbuia, Imbuya, Embuia, 29 Brazilian Walnut 30 Handroanthus spp. Ipe, Brazilian walnut, 31 bethabarra, Pau d'arco, 32 Ironwood, Lapacho 33 Chlorophors excelsa Iroko 34 Hymenaea courbaril Jatoba, "Brazilian Cherry" 35 Jacaranda copaia Jacaranda 36 Machaerium villosum Jacaranda Pardo 37 Dyera costulata Jelutong 38 Dryobalanops spp. Kapur, Keladan 39 Koompassia malaccensis Kempas, Impas 40 Acacia koa Koa 41 Entandrophragma candollei Kosipo, Omu 42 Pterygota macrocarpa Koto, African Pterygota, Ware 43 Oxandra lanceolate Lancewood 44 Shorea spp. [negrosensis] [Red] Lauan, Luan, 45 Lawaan, Meranti, White 46 meranti, yellow meranti, dark 47 red meranti, light red meranti, 48 Seraya, Tanguile, Bang, 49 Philippine Mahogany 50 [Pentacme contorta] [White Lauan] 51 [Shores ploysprma] [Tanguile] 52 Nothofagus pumilio Lenga 53 Guaiacum officinale Lignum Vitae, Guayacan, 54 Ironwood 55 Terminalia superba Limba, Afara, Ofram 56 [Aniba duckei] Aniba rosedora [Louro] Brazilian 
 A. 9598 4 1 rosewood, pau rosa, bois 2 de rose 3 Nectandra spp. Louro Preto 4 [Kyaya ivorensis] Khaya spp. [Africa] African 5 Mahogany 6 [Swletenia macrophylla] [Amer. Mahogany] 7 Swietenia spp. American Mahogany, West Indian 8 Mahogany, Central American 9 Mahogany, Honduran Mahogany, 10 South American Mahogany, 11 Mexican Mahogany, Bigleaf 12 Mahogany, Little Leaf 13 Mahogany, Acajou, Caoba 14 Mogno 15 Tieghemella [leckellii] heckelii [Makora] 16 Makore, 17 Baku 18 Diospyros marmorata Marblewood, Zebrawood 19 Intsia bijuga, Intsia palembanica Merbau, Ipil, Kwila 20 Anisoptera spp. Mersawa, Krabak, Palosapis, 21 Bella Rosa 22 Mora excelsa Mora 23 Distemonanthus benthamianus Movingui, Ayan 24 Terminalia amazonia Nargusta 25 Pterocarpus spp. Narra, Ambyna, Papua New Guinea 26 Rosewood, Red Sanders, Mukula, 27 Kosso, Zitan, Hongmu, Padauk, 28 Vermillion Wood 29 Palaquium spp. Nyatoh, Padang, Pencil Cedar 30 Triplochiton scleroxylon Obeche, Samba 31 Nauclea diderrichii Opepe, Sibo 32 [Pterocarpus soyauxii] [African Padauk] 33 [Pterocarpus angolensis] [Angola Padauk] 34 Millettia stuhlmannii Panga Panga 35 Balfourodendron riedelianum Pau Marfim 36 Aspidosperma spp. Peroba, Rosa 37 Paratecoma peroba Peroba Branca 38 Dalbergia frutescens, D. tomentosa Pinkwood, Brazilia Tulipwood 39 Tabebuia donnell-smithii Prima Vera, Roble, Durango 40 Peltogyne spp. Purpleheart 41 Gonystylus spp. Ramin 42 Melanorrhoea curtisii Rengas, Borneo Rosewood 43 Nothofagus obliqua Roble 44 Hevea brasiliensis Rubberwood 45 Dalbergia spp. Rosewood, Indian Rosewood, 46 Honduras Rosewood, cocobolo, 47 granadillo 48 Aniba duckei Brazilian Rosewood 49 [Entandrophragm a] Entandrophragma 50 cylindricum [Sapela] Sapele, Sapelli 51 Acanthopanax ricinofolius Sen, Castor Arabia 52 Brosimum aubletti, Piratinera Snakewood, Letterwood, Leopard 53 guianensis Wood 54 [Shores phillippinensis] [Sonora] 55 Juglans spp. (juglans South American Walnut, Peruvian 56 australis, J. neotropica, Walnut, Tropical Walnut 
 A. 9598 5 1 J. Olanchana, etc.) 2 Sterculia rhinopetala Sterculia 3 Bagassa guianensis Tatajuba, Bagasse 4 Tectona grandis Teak 5 Lovoa trichilloides Tigerwood 6 Entandrophragma utile Utile, Sipo 7 Virola spp. Virola, Cumala, Banak, Tapsava 8 Milletia laurentii Wenge 9 Pentacme contorta White Lauan 10 Microberlinia [brazzavillensis] Zebrawood, 11 spp. Zebrano, Zingana 12 (ii) No later than January first, two thousand thirty, and at least 13 every three years thereafter, the department of environmental conserva- 14 tion, in consultation with the office of general services, shall through 15 regulations update the list of tropical hardwood species in subparagraph 16 (i) of this paragraph to ensure that such list includes all such species 17 that are currently commonly available for commercial use in the United 18 States, reflecting the most current data on production, trade, and 19 marketing, and to account for any changes in taxonomy, marketing or 20 trade names, market preference, usage, or other factors. Species shall 21 not be removed from the list of examples except for purposes of correct- 22 ing errors. 23 c. "Tropical [rain] forests" shall mean [any and all forests classi- 24 fied by the scientific term "Tropical moist forests", the classification 25 determined by the equatorial region of the forest and average rainfall] 26 a natural ecosystem within the tropical regions, approximately bounded 27 geographically by the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, but possibly 28 affected by other factors such as prevailing winds, containing native 29 species composition, structure, and ecological function, with a tree 30 canopy cover of more than ten percent over an area of at least 0.5 31 hectares. "Tropical forests" shall include all of the following: (i) 32 human-managed tropical forests or partially degraded tropical forests 33 that are regenerating; and (ii) tropical forests identified by multi-ob- 34 jective conservation based assessment methodologies, such as High 35 Conservation Value (HCV) areas, as defined by the HCV Resource Network, 36 or High Carbon Stock forests, as defined by the High Carbon Stock 37 Approach, or by another methodology with equivalent or higher standards 38 that includes primary forests and tropical peatlands of any depth. 39 d. "Tropical hardwood products" shall mean any wood products, whole- 40 sale or retail, in any form, including but not limited to plywood, 41 veneer, furniture, cabinets, paneling, siding, moldings, doors, doors- 42 kins, joinery, flooring or sawnwood, which are composed, in whole or in 43 part, of tropical hardwood [except plywood]. 44 e. "Peat" means a soil that is rich in organic matter composed of 45 partially decomposed plant materials equal to or greater than 40 centi- 46 meters of the top 100 centimeters of the soil. 47 f. "Tropical peatlands" means wetlands within the tropical regions 48 with a layer of peat made up of dead and decaying plant material. Trop- 49 ical peatlands includes moors, bogs, mires, and peat swamp forests. 50 g. "Secondary materials" means any material recovered from or other- 51 wise destined for the waste stream, including, but not limited to, post- 52 consumer material, industrial scrap material and [overstock or] obsolete 53 inventories from distributors, wholesalers and other companies but such 54 term does not include those materials and by-products generated from, 55 and commonly reused within, an original manufacturing process. 
 A. 9598 6 1 § 2. Paragraphs a, b, c and d of subdivision 2 of section 165 of the 2 state finance law, as added by chapter 83 of the laws of 1995, are 3 amended and four new paragraphs e, f, g and h are added to read as 4 follows: 5 a. Except as hereinafter provided, the state and any governmental 6 agency or political subdivision or public benefit corporation of the 7 state shall not purchase or obtain for any purpose any tropical hard- 8 woods or tropical hardwood products, wholesale or retail, in any form, 9 unless such tropical hardwoods or tropical hardwood products are second- 10 ary materials. 11 b. The provisions of paragraph a of this subdivision shall not apply 12 to: 13 (i) [Any hardwoods purchased from a sustained, managed forest; or 14 (ii)] Any binding contractual obligations for purchase of commodities 15 entered into prior to August twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred ninety-one; 16 or 17 [(iii) The purchase of any tropical hardwood or tropical hardwood 18 product for which there is no acceptable non-tropical hardwood species; 19 or 20 (iv) Where the contracting officer finds that no person or entity 21 doing business in the state is capable of providing acceptable non-trop- 22 ical hardwood species sufficient to meet the particular contract 23 requirements; or 24 (v)] (ii) Where the inclusion or application of such provisions will 25 violate or be inconsistent with the terms or conditions of a grant, 26 subvention or contract in an agency of the United States or the 27 instructions of an authorized representative of any such agency with 28 respect to any such grant, subvention or contract[; or 29 (vi) Where inclusion or application of such provisions results in a 30 substantial cost increase to the state, government agency, political 31 subdivision, public corporation or public benefit corporation]. 32 c. (i) In the case of any bid proposal or solicitation, request for 33 bid or proposal or contract for the construction of any public work, 34 building maintenance or improvement for or on behalf of the state and 35 any governmental agency or political subdivision or public benefit 36 corporation of the state, it shall not require or permit the use of any 37 tropical hardwood or [wood] tropical hardwood product, unless such trop- 38 ical hardwood or tropical hardwood product is a secondary material. 39 (ii) Every bid proposal, solicitation, request for bid or proposal and 40 contract for the construction of any public work, building maintenance 41 or improvement shall contain a statement that any bid, proposal or other 42 response to a solicitation for bid or proposal which proposes or calls 43 for the use of any tropical hardwood or [wood] tropical hardwood product 44 in performance of the contract shall be deemed non-responsive, unless 45 such tropical hardwood or tropical hardwood product is a secondary mate- 46 rial. 47 d. The provisions of paragraph c of this subdivision shall not apply: 48 (i) To bid packages advertised and made available to the public or any 49 competitive and sealed bids received or entered into prior to August 50 twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred ninety-one; or 51 (ii) To any amendment, modification or renewal of a contract, which 52 contract was entered into prior to August twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred 53 ninety-one, where such application would delay timely completion of a 54 project or involve an increase in the total monies to be paid under that 55 contract; or 56 (iii) Where the contracting officer finds that[: 
 A. 9598 7 1 (A) No person or entity doing business in the state is capable of 2 performing the contract using acceptable non-tropical hardwood species; 3 or 4 (B) The] the inclusion or application of such provisions will violate 5 or be inconsistent with the terms or conditions of a grant, subvention 6 or contract with an agency of the United States or the instructions of 7 an authorized representative of any such agency with respect to any such 8 grant, subvention or contract[; or 9 (C) The use of tropical woods is deemed necessary for purposes of 10 historical restoration and there exists no available acceptable non- 11 tropical wood species]. 12 e. The use of any tropical hardwood or tropical hardwood product as 13 part of the construction, renovation, maintenance, or installation of 14 any public work, building or other structure, or improvement on lands 15 owned or managed by the state or any governmental agency or political 16 subdivision or public benefit corporation of the state shall be prohib- 17 ited, except where such prohibition would violate or be inconsistent 18 with the terms and conditions of a grant, subvention or contract with an 19 agency of the United States or the instructions of an authorized repre- 20 sentative of any such agency with respect to any such grant, subvention, 21 or contract, unless such tropical hardwood or tropical hardwood product 22 is a secondary material. The governmental agency, political subdivi- 23 sion, or public benefit corporation that owns or manages such land shall 24 ensure that all contractors and subcontractors are informed of the 25 requirements of this paragraph. 26 f. (i) Until January first, two thousand thirty-two, the provisions of 27 paragraphs a, c, and e of this subdivision shall not apply to the use of 28 ekki wood by the metropolitan transportation authority for the purpose 29 of railroad ties in the New York city transit system, provided that the 30 metropolitan transportation authority shall, no later than October 31 first, two thousand twenty-seven, after providing notice and an opportu- 32 nity for public comment, develop and issue an ekki transition plan 33 outlining the steps the authority will take to minimize to the greatest 34 extent possible, and eventually phase out, the use of ekki wood, and 35 provided further that until such phase out has been completed, such 36 agency shall use, to the greatest extent possible, only secondary mate- 37 rials when the use of ekki wood is specified and unavoidable. Such plan 38 shall be made publicly available on the authority's website. No later 39 than October first, two thousand twenty-eight, and annually thereafter 40 until the expiration of this paragraph, the authority shall issue a 41 public report outlining its progress toward achieving such plan. 42 (ii) If, on or after April first, two thousand thirty-one, the direc- 43 tor of the budget issues a determination, after providing notice and an 44 opportunity for public comment, that the authority has made significant 45 progress in phasing out the use of ekki wood, but that a full phase out 46 has been delayed due to technical or safety considerations, the 47 provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph may be extended until 48 December thirty-first of the subsequent calendar year. Such determi- 49 nation may be made annually thereafter, on or after April first of 50 subsequent years, provided that under no circumstances shall the 51 provisions of this paragraph extend beyond January first, two thousand 52 thirty-seven. 53 g. (i) Until January first, two thousand thirty-five, the provisions 54 of paragraphs a, c, and e of this subdivision shall not apply to the use 55 of greenheart wood by a ferry service directly owned and operated by an 56 agency of a city of one million or more, provided that such agency 
 A. 9598 8 1 shall, no later than October first, two thousand twenty-seven, after 2 providing notice and an opportunity for public comment, develop and 3 issue a greenheart transition plan outlining the steps such agency will 4 take to minimize to the greatest extent possible, and eventually phase 5 out, the use of greenheart wood, and provided further that until such 6 phase out has been completed, such agency shall use, to the greatest 7 extent possible, only secondary materials when the use of greenheart 8 wood is specified and unavoidable. Such plan shall be made publicly 9 available on the agency's website. No later than October first, two 10 thousand twenty-eight, and annually thereafter until the expiration of 11 this paragraph, the agency shall issue a public report outlining its 12 progress toward achieving such plan. 13 (ii) If, on or after April first, two thousand thirty-four, the direc- 14 tor of the budget issues a determination, after providing notice and an 15 opportunity for public comment, that such agency has made significant 16 progress in phasing out the use of greenheart wood, but that a full 17 phase out has been delayed due to technical or safety considerations, 18 the provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph may be extended 19 until December thirty-first of the subsequent calendar year. Such 20 determination may be made annually thereafter, on or after April first 21 of subsequent years, provided that under no circumstances shall the 22 provisions of this paragraph extend beyond January first, two thousand 23 forty. 24 h. (i) Until January first, two thousand thirty-five, the provisions 25 of paragraphs a, c, and e of this subdivision shall not apply to the use 26 of greenheart wood on bridges managed by the department of transporta- 27 tion of a city of one million or more, provided that such department 28 shall, no later than October first, two thousand twenty-seven, after 29 providing notice and an opportunity for public comment, develop and 30 issue a greenheart transition plan outlining the steps such department 31 will take to minimize to the greatest extent possible, and eventually 32 phase out, the use of greenheart wood, and provided further that until 33 such phase out has been completed, such department shall use, to the 34 greatest extent possible, only secondary materials when the use of 35 greenheart wood is specified and unavoidable. Such plan shall be made 36 publicly available on the department's website. No later than October 37 first, two thousand twenty-eight, and annually thereafter until the 38 expiration of this paragraph, the department shall issue a public report 39 outlining its progress toward achieving such plan. 40 (ii) If, on or after April first, two thousand thirty-four, the direc- 41 tor of the budget issues a determination, after providing notice and an 42 opportunity for public comment, that such department has made signif- 43 icant progress in phasing out the use of greenheart wood, but that a 44 full phase out has been delayed due to technical or safety consider- 45 ations, the provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph may be 46 extended until December thirty-first of the subsequent calendar year. 47 Such determination may be made annually thereafter, on or after April 48 first of subsequent years, provided that under no circumstances shall 49 the provisions of this paragraph extend beyond January first, two thou- 50 sand forty. 51 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 52 have become a law and shall apply to all contracts and binding contrac- 53 tual obligations entered into on and after such effective date.