A new bill that will force some buildings to switch to electric-only hookups has been delayed again.
The All-Electric Buildings Act is a law that would cause all buildings under seven stories to use only electric hookups for heat and appliances.
The act was set to take effect Jan. 1, 2026 but has been delayed until further notice, according to court documents acquired by Spectrum News.
This latest delay isn’t the first time the law has faced pushback. In 2023, a series of gas and construction groups came together to file a lawsuit against the state’s decision to ban gas equipment in future buildings. Scrutiny increased after a report in October of this year by the New York Independent System Operator found that parts of the state’s electrical grid might not have been as reliable compared to others in the future.
Another issue came from the question of affordability. The legislation didn’t include concerns about how the removal of the current gas hookups would cause housing prices to become more expensive, according to Will Barcley, the state assembly minority leader. Those in the state assembly who support the bill said that electric heating can actually save New Yorkers up to $1,000 per year.
Moderate Democrats in the state assembly joined Republicans in a joint letter, which prompted Gov. Kathy Hochul to pause the processing of the legislation before its implementation in January.
If the law does get passed, it will eventually require taller residential buildings and smaller commercial buildings to follow the same guidelines.
