New York, NY – Assembly Bill Would Open Retailers Restrooms To The Public.

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    New York, NY – A state lawmaker wants New York retailers to be required to open their employee restrooms to random passers-by who are suffering from Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder of unpredictable symptoms.

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    Under the Restroom Access Act, introduced this week by an Assembly Democrat of Westchester, people afflicted with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or any other condition requiring urgent access to a toilet may not be turned away by businesses, with few exceptions.

    Retail owners who refuse to open their bathrooms to such people during business hours could face a misdemeanor charge punishable by a fine of up to $100.

    Sufferers of Crohn’s disease, which is said to afflict 500,000 to 1 million people in America and is more common among Jewish people between the ages of 20 and 30, have lobbied around the nation for the right to use retail restrooms on demand. At least two states, Texas and Illinois, have passed similar legislation.

    The bill proposed by Assemblyman George Latimer does not make clear how an employee would verify if a customer or passer-by needing to use a bathroom actually suffers from one of the eligible ailments.[NYsun]


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    13 Comments
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    Milhouse
    Milhouse
    16 years ago

    Just you see, every homeless person will magically come down with this disease. The “homeless advocates” will distribute “doctor’s letters” no questions asked, and every business will have to let them in, and then close the bathroom until they can get someone to clean it. The reason bathrooms are officially “for customers only” is to keep out the undesireables who will make a churban there. If you look like a mench, nearly every business will let you use the bathroom.

    biGwheeel
    biGwheeel
    16 years ago

    This is not a comment on the subject at hand, just an addendum to MLTGO’S post. In the good/bad old USSR.(so I was told by many former emigres) when someone was tired of “Work”?! and needed a bit of rest, they brought a Doctor’s note to that effect, and got a Two-week respite. (in addition to their regular “Vacation”).

    Mark Levin is The Great One
    Mark Levin is The Great One
    16 years ago

    I guess we will all have to carry medical notes for all our ailments with us at all times.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    of all places, manhattan is the most bathroom accomodating. there are mega stores like macys etc throughout midtown. as someone mentioned, the starbuks, mc donalds (if its an emergency…when you gotta go, you gotta go)hotels with bathrooms in the lobbies.
    now what i would like to also say is i have gone shopping in a major paper goods store in flatbush on coney island ave, spent a few hundred dollars right then and there and been denied access to their bathroom. i went accross the street to the supermarket and they were kind enough to let me use their facilities. i left my car in the driveway of the paper goods store when i went accross the street and when i got back the manager wanted to give me an argument for leaving my car by him and i told him that had he allowed me to use his restroom i would have already left, but since he didnt i was not comfortable using the supermarkets bathroom without making a purchase there so it took a little time. what chutzpah of that manager. for the record, glatt mart allows customer usage of the bathroom, its not the nicest but it is always available. same goes for supersol on main street.

    Yitzchokm
    Yitzchokm
    16 years ago

    What happened to private property?
    How can the government FORCE people to let others use their bathrooms?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    anon 11:00
    what do you mean you wont go to manhattan b/c of this. i work in manhattan and there are tons of places that will let you use their bathrooms if you walk in not looking like a murderer or molester (ie just a regular average joe looking person, not a creep)
    and also you can walk in to practically any starbucks and go straight to their br no questions asked.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    This is a good start, but needs to go further. There are plenty of us out there who plan our days/trips/outings based on where the restrooms are, even though we have no official medical diagnosis. I, for one, will not travel to Manhatten bec. there are no restrooms available.

    sz
    sz
    16 years ago

    I really like this site as it keeps me abreast of whats going on in our world while I´m out of the country every week. But the comments that seem to be so negative and incensitive to peoples tzures is often sickening.

    All of you who have all this anger in you need to get out into the world, the hospitals,the other organizations that help the broken people, Chai Lifeline, Tomche Shabbos, etc; and stop being so judgemental off others. Don´t wait till your´e put R¨l into the situation of the people you judge.

    I´m sure I speak for the silent majority of the viewers of this blog.

    aunt of sufferer
    aunt of sufferer
    16 years ago

    If you are a Chorn’s sufferer which my sister and niece are, you would see how important this is. My niece who has been suffering with the terrible disease since the age of 3 was once refused to use a restroom and my sister will now not shop in that store where she frequented before. I don’t blame her one bit. She refuses to shop in stores who will not let her or her daughter use the restroom!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    There are many other medical conditions and situations which might require a bathroom in the middle of shopping.

    Lo pelug. Open them for anyone.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    what abt obviously pregnant women? would that count? im serious

    Nusen
    Nusen
    16 years ago

    Wait and see how someone will now request a law to make it a bias crime if he wasn’t let into his private facility.

    Here we go again!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    16 years ago

    this is pretty lame. either its open to all or its gonna get ugly. everyone and tehir mother will say they have the disease and forgot the ”proof” at home in their other wallet or handbag. then what?