Bed Bugs Win With The Power Of The Pen!
Marking the 6,735 Veto of 2010, with one swift spin of an ink pen, NY A 7691 hit the skids!
Jose Peralta (D-NY) has made a name for himself as a bed bug superhero crime fighter…or would been if the New York Governor would have signed his pending legislation into law. On March 29, 2010, Peralta’s legislation could have amended the General Business Law to read:
“relates to articles of bedding; prohibits the transportation, storage or sale of used bedding with new bedding unless the used bedding has been sanitized using a specified method intended to kill bedbugs, molds, and other germs or contaminants; provides for annual inspection of places where articles of bedding are made.”
The legislation passed through the Senate on Jun 15, 2010 and was sent for approval to the Assembly. The legislation passed the Assembly on June 15, 2010 as well. Good news…but only briefly.
On July 19, 2010, Governor David Paterson received the pending legislation, while New Yorkers everywhere continued to scratch from their bed bug infestations. The momentous day that everyone was waiting for arrived on July 30, 2010…a decision had been made. Would New Yorkers new mattresses be saved from the blood sucking parasites or would they still be allowed to be infested? Sorry New Yorkers, Governor Paterson decided to veto this important bill that would help end the spread of bed bugs to new mattresses! It has been reported that the new bill would cost the state of New York an additional $600,000 and would require that eight employees be hired. Game over.
There are two more bed bug related legislations pending on the Governors table. One would require New York City schools to notify parents of bed bug infestations. The other would require New York City landlords to inform potential tenants if they have had bed bug infestation problems within the past year. Both of these sound like smart ones too!
Time will tell if the powers that be in New York will find them worthy enough of implementation. Until then, if bed bugs are making you itch in Secaucus, New Jersey, the Greater New York City Metro and Connecticut Regions, contact Stern Environmental Group for expert bed bug removal services!
