Legislation Bans Smoking Within 100 Feet of School
Entrances and Exits
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and State Senator
Gustavo Rivera announced yesterday afternoon legislation A.10141-B/S.6854-B passed in
both the State Assembly (102-2) and the State Senate (54-2). This legislation
was the first of Senator Rivera’s health bills that was developed from
dialogue with health partners and community members during the 2011 Bronx CAN
Health Initiative.
“The Bronx has the lowest youth smoking rate of New
York City, however, in order to keep our youth safe from smoking-related
disease, we have to also work toward limiting children’s exposure to
secondhand smoke,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. “This
legislation [S.6854-B]
does just that, by extending the ban on smoking within schools to a ban on
smoking within 100 feet of school entrances and exits. I am proud this bill was
a product of my work with Bronx elected officials and local community health
organizations as part of the Bronx CAN Health Initiative.”
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, sponsor of the legislation in
the Assembly, said, “New York State successfully banned smoking indoors
to protect all New Yorkers from the harmful side effects of secondhand smoke.
This bill [A.10141-B]
seeks to further protect our youth who are now exposed to secondhand smoke at
entrances and exits of their school buildings from unwanted exposure. Smoking
is particularly dangerous to children. This bill will help to protect them from
the scourge of secondhand smoke.”
“I'd like to congratulate Senator Gustavo Rivera,
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and their colleagues that supported
S.6854/A.10141-B on the floor of the State Legislature yesterday
evening,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “This bill is
the first of a comprehensive legislative agenda grown from our Bronx CAN Health
Initiative now in its second year. We are uniting all levels of government,
community based organizations and social service entities to put forth an
aggressive health and wellness campaign for our borough to serve as a model for
our city and state.”
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