What's happening
This bill prohibits the use and sale of tobacco on all SUNY state-operated campuses and in university vehicles.
Why it matters
Creates a uniform, comprehensive tobacco-free environment across all SUNY state-operated campuses. , closing loopholes that might have previously allowed tobacco use in designated outdoor areas or certain facilities.
Directly affects a wide range of spaces and individuals. students, staff, faculty, and visitors—by banning tobacco use not just indoors, but outdoors and in all campus vehicles, potentially encouraging cessation and shifting campus culture.
Extends the prohibition to entities affiliated with SUNY. , such as campus foundations, auxiliary services, and alumni associations, ensuring the policy can’t be circumvented through campus-related organizations or events.
May impact campus life, enforcement practices, and public health outcomes. , as the policy could reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, lower tobacco-related litter, and signal a broader institutional commitment to wellness, but may also require new enforcement protocols and support for individuals who use tobacco.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Tobacco at SUNY Campuses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5045
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 6, 2017
Introduced by Sen. HANNON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the use and sale of tobacco at state-operated institutions of the state university of New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds and declares that it shall be the policy of the state university of New York (SUNY) to ensure that all state-operated campuses embrace a tobacco-free environment. Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States and accounts for more annual deaths than suicide, murder, HIV/AIDS, alcohol use, illegal drug use and motor vehicle injuries combined. Using tobacco is a personal choice, a tobacco-free policy does not take away an individual's right to choose to use tobacco, it does limit where a person may use tobacco. SUNY respects an individual's right to choose to use tobacco off campus, in places where it is acceptable to do so. SUNY is first and foremost an educational institution.
§ 2. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
20. The following are prohibited at state-operated institutions of the state university of New York:
a. the use or sale of tobacco on all grounds and facilities owned, leased or controlled by the state university or its related entities, including indoor and outdoor locations; and
b. the use of tobacco in vehicles owned, rented or leased by the state university or its affiliated entities. For purposes of this subdivision, the "affiliated entities" of the state-operated institutions of the state university are the foundations, auxiliary services corporations, and alumni associations and subsidiaries thereof.
§ 3. This act shall take effect September 1, 2019.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02952-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the use and sale of tobacco at state-operated institutions of the state university of New York
Purpose
Relates to the use and sale of tobacco at state-operated institutions of the state university of New York.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 adds legislative intent.
Section 2 amends Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20. The bill prohibits the use and sale of tobacco on all grounds and facilities owned, leased or controlled by the state university or its affiliated entities, including indoor and outdoor locations.
It also prohibits the use of tobacco in vehicles owned or leased by the state university or its affiliated entities. For purposes of this subdivision, the "affiliated entities" of the state-operated institutions of the state university are the foundations, auxiliary services corporations, and alumni associations and subsidiaries thereof.
Section 3 provides an effective date.
Justification
The Board of Trustees of the State University of New York supports the efforts of the Chancellor's Task Force for a Tobacco-Free SUNY, which includes broad representation of SUNY's students, faculty, staff, campus administration, along with other partners from the community, in an effort to lead a collaborative implementation process of a Tobacco-Free SUNY policy. This is the corresponding legislation that is needed to enact that policy.
Legislative history
2015-2016: S.4322
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect September 1, 2019.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.