Bill > S1635

Introduced Session

This bill would require outdoor lighting fixtures installed or replaced by, or on behalf of, a State agency, or at projects receiving public moneys from a State agency, to meet certain criteria in order to reduce light pollution. The bill would require outdoor lighting fixtures installed or replaced by, or on behalf of, a State agency, or as part of a project that receives funds from a State agency, to comply with the following: (1) the luminaire is a fully shielded luminaire and a full cutoff fixture with a backlight, uplight, and glare (BUG) rating of U0, as those terms are defined by the bill; (2) the outdoor lighting fixture emits only as much light as necessary for the intended purpose and does not exceed the minimum illuminance level recommended for that purpose by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America or the Federal Highway Administration; (3) an outdoor lighting fixture used to illuminate sports fields are turned off when not in use; (4) full consideration has been given to energy conservation, reducing glare, minimizing light trespass and light pollution, and preserving the natural night environment and public health; (5) the correlated color temperature of the outdoor lighting fixture is no more than 2,700 Kelvin, with certain exceptions; and (6) the outdoor lighting fixture has a motion sensor device that turns on, dims, and turns off the light as appropriate. The bill would not apply if: the outdoor lighting fixture is used on a temporary basis because emergency personnel require additional illumination for emergency procedures; the outdoor lighting fixture is used on a temporary basis for nighttime work; a compelling safety interest exists that cannot be addressed by another method; or the outdoor lighting fixture is located in a high-security area. In addition, in the case of outdoor lighting fixtures installed along roadways, the bill requires the Department of Transportation to assess whether the purpose of the outdoor lighting fixture can be achieved by the installation of reflective road markers, lines, warning or informational signs, or other effective passive methods in lieu of the installation of outdoor lighting fixtures. The provisions of the bill would take effect on the first day of the third month after the bill is enacted.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Raj Mukherji (D)*,  Andrew Zwicker (D)*,  Gordon Johnson (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document