S 7777 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relates to school potable water testing, and standards and requirements to install filtered water stations and faucets

Bill S 7777 mandates triennial lead testing of potable water in all school districts and boards of cooperative educational services. If lead contamination exceeds action levels, affected schools must implement a "filter-first drinking water management plan" by December 2026. This plan requires installing filtered bottle-filling stations (one per 100 occupants) and filtered faucets where stations are not feasible, along with regular filter replacement and shutting off unfiltered outlets for human consumption. Schools must also provide safe drinking water until remediation is complete, notify parents of test results, and make all testing data publicly available.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced May 6, 2025 Last action Mar 19, 2026

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What changed between versions

S7777 → S7777A · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add a new section creating a new law for school water management plans, while significantly updating the requirements for handling lead contamination. The changes expand the scope to include charter and religious schools, mandate the installation of filtered water stations within 60 days of finding lead, and redefine technical standards for water fixtures.

Scope change

The bill now applies to charter schools and religious or independent schools in addition to traditional school districts and boards of cooperative educational services.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new section requiring all schools to submit a drinking water management plan within one year of the law taking effect.

Reordered the steps for handling lead contamination to prioritize installing filtered water stations before providing free drinking water to occupants.

TIMELINE

Changed the requirement to install filtered water stations from an unspecified time to a strict deadline of 60 days after a lead contamination finding.

DEFINITION

Created new legal definitions for 'filtered bottle-filling station' and 'filtered faucet' to clarify equipment standards.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the definition of 'school district' to explicitly include charter schools and religious or independent schools.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 7777A

upper

Mar 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO HEALTH

upper

Jan 7, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO HEALTH

upper

May 6, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO HEALTH

upper

1 primary · 13 co-sponsors