Continuing the momentum created by the passage of laws designed to protect workers from second-hand smoke in New York City, Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Orange and Dutchess Counties in the past year (see WIT's for Jan 3, 2003, and Oct 7, 2002 ), New York today became the third state in the country to pass such legislation. Despite their opposition to a weaker ban last year, Governor Pataki and Republican leaders in the State Senate joined with Democratic leaders in the State Assembly to enact an almost universal ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and other places of work. Set to take effect in 120 days, the state-wide ban will leave intact stronger laws like those passed in Westchester and Nassau Counties, but will preempt weaker local laws---eliminating many of the exceptions in the New York City bill set to take effect next week.
See "New York State Adopts Strict Ban on Workplace Smoking", WINNIE HU, The New York Times, March 26, 2003