(Dewitt, New York, Oct. 16, 2017) – Big I New York, the Empire State's oldest insurance producer trade organization, has signed onto a letter urging Congress to provide relief for New York contractors. Big I New York President and CEO Lisa Lounsbury co-signed a letter expressing support last week for legislation that would free federally funded projects in New York from the onerous liability standards" imposed by the state's so-called Scaffold Law. Instead, HR 3808, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by New York Congressman John Faso as the "Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2017," would apply the same liability standards on building contractors and property owners as the nation's 49 other states. 

The letter was signed by Lounsbury and 33 other member representatives of the industry coalition Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York (LRANY). Several examples cited in the letter, dated Oct. 10 and submitted to New York's congressional delegation, illustrate the hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary costs taxpayers bear each year because of the Scaffold Law. 

Repealing or reforming provisions of the State Labor Law that established an "absolute liability" on any contractor or property owner in New York for a fall from any height has long been a Big I New York legislative priority. As the current Big I New York Legislative Position Paper states: 

"Under an absolute liability standard there is no consideration of fault or negligence and the contractor or building owner is held completely responsible, regardless of fault. This statute is the only such law remaining in the United States, pre-dates our Workers Compensation Laws and circumvents the sole remedy doctrine of workers' compensation."

Big I New York has represented the common business interests of independent insurance professionals since 1882. More than 1,750 agencies and their 13,000 plus employees currently rely on the DeWitt, New York-based not-for-profit trade association for legislative advocacy, continuing education and other means of industry support. In addition, most Big I New York members proudly identify themselves as Trusted Choice® agents and brokers, a national consumer brand uniting more than 21,000 independent agencies across the United States. For more information, go to www.trustedchoice.com or www.biginy.org.