What's happening
This bill prohibits the sale and use of tobacco by students at all SUNY state-operated campuses, including in university vehicles.
Why it matters
Aims to create a consistent, campus-wide standard for tobacco control at SUNY schools, potentially reducing secondhand smoke exposure and promoting public health for students, staff, and visitors.
Targets not just tobacco use, but also its sale, which may affect campus-based businesses and organizations that profit from tobacco sales, emphasizing a prevention-over-profit approach.
Includes a broad definition of covered areas and entities, extending the ban to all university-owned, leased, or controlled property—including vehicles and facilities operated by foundations, auxiliary services, and alumni associations—ensuring there are few loopholes for tobacco use or sales.
By specifically focusing on students, the policy underscores a commitment to shaping health behaviors among young adults during a critical period for lifelong habit formation, while leaving open the question of policies for employees and visitors.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Tobacco on 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
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5784
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 19, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. MOSLEY -- read once and referred 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 sale of tobacco on all grounds and facilities owned, leased or controlled by the state university or its related entities;
b. the use of tobacco by students on all grounds and facilities owned, leased or controlled by the state university or its related entities, including indoor and outdoor locations; and
c. the use of tobacco by students 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 insti-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07749-02-9
A. 5784 2
tutions of the state university are the foundations, auxiliary services corporations, and alumni associations and subsidiaries thereof.
§ 3. This act shall take effect September 1, 2020.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.