Bill Text: NY S00901 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Provides that within two years it shall be unlawful to sell filtered cigarettes in this state unless the filter is biodegradable; provides for a civil penalty not to exceed $100 for each violation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-04 - REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION [S00901 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-S00901-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          901
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 5, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen. KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
       AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
         providing biodegradable filters on cigarettes
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Legislative intent.  Cigarette filters do not decompose and
    2  return to the soil.  Consequently they produce unsightly litter as  well
    3  as posing a possible threat to any water system that they may be flushed
    4  into,  through  plumbing  or  natural drainage. It is the intent of this
    5  legislation to improve the quality of life by removing  the  litter  and
    6  reducing  the  danger  of  possible chemical reaction through the use of
    7  biodegradable filters.
    8    S 2. The environmental conservation law is amended  by  adding  a  new
    9  section 27-0721 to read as follows:
   10  S 27-0721. FILTERS ON CIGARETTES TO BE BIODEGRADABLE.
   11    1.  WITHIN  TWO  YEARS  AFTER  THE  EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, NO
   12  FILTERED CIGARETTES SHALL BE SOLD OR OFFERED  FOR  SALE  IN  THIS  STATE
   13  UNLESS  THE MANUFACTURER THEREOF HAS CERTIFIED IN WRITING TO THE DEPART-
   14  MENT THAT THE FILTER IS BIODEGRADABLE.
   15    2.  A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE PUNISHABLE BY A CIVIL PENALTY
   16  NOT TO EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR EACH VIOLATION THEREOF.
   17    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD04076-01-1