A bill in New York state could require lodging facilities to set unoccupied room temperatures to be higher in the summer and lower in the winter in an effort to conserve energy.  

This includes hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts with more than five bedrooms.

What You Need To Know

  • A proposed bill in New York state could require lodging facilities to set unoccupied rooms to a certain temperature

  • This includes hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts with more than five bedrooms

  • Victoria Bingham, the director of The Iron Lion Bed and Breakfast in Fayetteville, says she is hoping to kill the bill

  • New York State Senator Rachel May sponsored the bill and says it could save wasted energy

Victoria Bingham, the director of The Iron Lion Bed and Breakfast in Fayetteville, says she is hoping to kill the bill.

“I hope the bill fails," she said.

She said the bill doesn’t make any sense.

"I'd say the very first reaction after I read the bill was it is illogical,” she said. “It's impractical. It's overreach.”

Since The Iron Lion has more than five bedrooms, it has to abide by the same rules hotels and motels do. The problem is the temperature in the individual rooms can only be changed by opening and closing vents.

"So there has to be some moderation already set for the whole house," Bingham said.

New York State Senator Rachel May sponsored the bill and says it could save wasted energy.

"Raise the temperature in the summer and reduce it in the winter even by one degree that’s about 6% of electricity consumed in an air conditioner especially in the summer time," May said.

But, Bingham says she does not believe it will make a difference.

"The people that are patronizing the facility can change the temperature then you're already defeating the purpose," Bingham said.

She also says she is questioning the safety of her guests.

“One digit lower and you're in according to the WHO anyway, World Health Organization. Somebody is in a dangerous, potentially dangerous situation," she said.

Bingham suggests the state implement other methods to conserve energy.

"Raise the tax on utilities if that's the way you want to go,” she said. “But don't take away the personal right for an individual to decide.”

May says she is open to hearing Bingham’s concerns.

"If she wants to reach out to us, if she’s got six units and wants to make the case that we should raise it to six we can certainly do that kind of thing," May said.

Bingham said, at the end of the day, the bed and breakfast is her home too.

“I'll be darned if I'm going to walk around being in my own house with a winter coat on," she said.

The bill has moved through committee and it remains unclear when it will come for a vote on the floor.