Albany, NY – Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a new law to ban smoking at outdoor playgrounds statewide from sunrise to sunset when any children under 12 are present.
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The law takes effect in 90 days.
Sponsors say it’s meant to protect the health of children who are more vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke than adults.
They note that the state has recently banned smoking on train platforms, and that New York City has had regulations against smoking at playgrounds, parks and some public squares since 2010.
If he’s going to use NYS law to supersede local regs, then how’s about stomping out that messed up NYC Parks Dep’t rule that forbids unescorted (that is, without children) adults (read that as males) from many of the NYC playgrounds. Yes. That is indeed the NYC policy. And Parks Dep’t regs have the full force of law in NYC.