By Phil Konigsberg
It’s June once again, and a proposed New York State Tobacco 21-minimum legal sales age law is once again in jeopardy of running out of time. With bipartisan support in the Senate and Assembly, both full chambers in Albany should be given an opportunity to pass this common sense, bipartisan-supported law.
I’m calling on my local and surrounding area legislators, both in the state Senate and Assembly, to push for a T21 bill to be put on the table. In addition, I’m asking for them to reach out to their colleagues for support to see that their respective bills (S.3978; A.273) advance to a full vote in both chambers. Last year time ran out on the bill stuck in committee. The time for delays and excuses should be over. A full 95 percent of smokers begin their path to tobacco addiction before age 21. Just do the math.
The Senate Finance Committee passed S. 3978 on May 31, 2018. But once again A.273 has not been brought up for the crucial vote by the Assembly Rules Committee.
This should not be a political issue. Just take a look at last month’s Nassau County Legislature’s unanimous passage of its T21 bill.
Come on, already!
Phil Konigsberg
Bay Terrace
