Westchester County Board of Legislators Committee on Legislation Meeting - July 13, 2026

The Committee on Legislation of the Westchester County Board of Legislators met on July 13, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Michaelian Office Building in White Plains, NY. The meeting was chaired by Vice Chair Emma Mora with a quorum present (Legislators Smith, Barr, Clements, Cunzio, Nolan, and Ulaj; Legislators Imamura and Puja absent). The primary agenda item was a local law (Intro-2026-295) to eliminate the master plumber 51% business ownership requirement. The committee also approved minutes from June 29, 2026, and received and filed three memos of legislation. The meeting adjourned at 1:44 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The minutes of the Monday, June 29, 2026, meeting were approved unanimously (6 ayes, 0 nays, 2 absent) on a motion by Legislator Nolan, seconded by Legislator Clements.
• Receive & File Items: Three memos of legislation were received, filed, and approved unanimously on separate motions (all 6-0-2):
  • Memo of Leg. from Hon. Tyrae Woodson-Samuels – Property Record Notification & Deed Theft Prevention Law (2026-204)
  • Memo of Leg. from Hon. Tyrae Woodson-Samuels – Public Safety Nuisance & Illegal Housing Enforcement Law (2026-205)
  • Memo of Leg. from Hon. Judah Holstein – Safe Access to Religious Institutions Act (2026-236)

Discussion Items

• Local Law Intro-2026-295 – Eliminating the Master Plumber 51% Business Ownership Requirement: The committee heard from James Maisano, Director of Consumer Protection; Jason Whitehead, Associate County Attorney; and Elijah Rankin-Balmick from the County Executive's Office. Mr. Maisano detailed long-standing problems with the Plumbing Board, including difficulty finding effective chairs, improper meeting conduct, tension between union and non-union members, and a lack of quorum after the recent resignation of the chair. He argued that allowing the County Executive to appoint the chair (rather than board members electing from among themselves) would lead to more professional and legally compliant meetings. On the 51% ownership requirement—which mandates that a master plumber own at least 51% of any company doing plumbing work under that plumber’s license—Mr. Maisano and Mr. Whitehead explained that the provision is considered unenforceable under state law, citing a similar 40% requirement struck down in Rockland County. They noted that multiple past County Attorneys (from both parties) agreed the section is unenforceable. Mr. Maisano also highlighted operational harms: the rule blocks mom-and-pop 50/50 partnerships and prevents large developers from employing a plumber without giving majority ownership. The committee unanimously voted to go into executive session from 1:17 PM to 1:24 PM to discuss matters involving a law enforcement agent, pending litigation, and ethical issues regarding Plumbing Board members. Upon return, the committee voted unanimously to sign the item and refer it to the full Board of Legislators.

Key Outcomes

• Local Law Intro-2026-295: The committee voted 6-0-2 to sign the local law and refer it to the Board of Legislators for further action.
• Executive Session: The committee entered and exited executive session (1:17 PM – 1:24 PM) by unanimous vote.
• All three receive-and-file items were approved unanimously.
• The meeting was adjourned at 1:44 PM.