Health Chairs Optimistic On e-Cigarette Legislation Only

With only one more day of the legislative session scheduled and plenty of legislation still awaiting passage, the committee health chairs of both houses remain hopeful that key legislation they have been working on will be passed.

A major priority for both the Assembly and state Senate is to bring e-cigarettes under the provisions of the state’s Clean Air Indoor Act.

“E-cigarettes are poised to come to the floor,” Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried said. “I think that’s got a good chance.”

Supporters in the Assembly circulated a letter to urge Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to allow the bill to be voted on. State Senate Health Committee Chair Kemp Hannon said it is a priority for him as well.

Both Hannon and Gottfried also support legislation to curtail and regulate health care services provided by retail services, such as CVS, Price Chopper and Wal-Mart, but the chances a bill will pass both houses seems unlikely this year. Recently, the bill failed to pass the Assembly’s Codes Committee. Even if the Assembly were to pass it, the Senate has problems with the bill language. 

“(The Assembly’s bill) is not something we’d work on because we only have 48 hours left,” Hannon said. “I found it very complicated trying to comprehend Assemblyman Gottfried’s bill.”

Controversial legislation to immediately implement medical marijuana for children with severe epilepsy did pass the Senate and Assembly earlier this week. 

Cuomo has spoke out against speeding up the implementation of the medical marijuana program and both Hannon and Gottfried said they were unsure if he would sign the bill now that it has moved to his desk.

“His press statements have been very negative about the bill.” Gottfried said. “I hope that the families of the children with epilepsy will be able to touch his heart, as the have everyone else.”