City of New York
LOCAL LAW 5 OF 1995
Clean Indoor Air Act
Int. No. 232-A
By the Speaker (Council Member Vallone) and Council Members Williams,
Michels, Watkins, Malave-Dilan, Freed, Albanese, Duane, Fisher,
Henry, Linares, McCabe, Powell IV, the Public Advocate (Mr. Green),
Council Members Rivera, Robles, Warden, White, Cruz and Fusco;
also Council Members Clarke, DeMarco, DiBrienza, Eldridge, Fields,
Foster, Harrison, Lasher, Leffler, Povman, Robinson, Wooten and
Pinkett
A LOCAL LAW
To amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation
to smoking.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Declaration of legislative findings and intent.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency
(the "EPA"), the health risks attributable to exposure
to environmental tobacco smoke ("ETS") (also known as
second-hand smoke, passive smoke or involuntary smoke) are well
established. Further, the EPA has found that ETS is responsible
for the lung cancer deaths of approximately 3,000 nonsmokers in
the United States each year, and is a deadly carcinogen which
belongs in the category of Group A (known human) carcinogens.
Studies conducted by the EPA also conclude that exposure to ETS
causes other significant health problems in adults, including
coughing, phlegm production, chest discomfort and reduced lung
function. In addition, studies conducted by other entities have
concluded that ETS aggravates the condition of people with heart
disease, and some studies have linked involuntary smoking with
heart disease.
Moreover, the findings of the EPA indicate that exposure to ETS
can pose substantial health risks to children, as it is causally
associated with, among other things, increases in the prevalence
of childhood respiratory illnesses, increases in the prevalence
of fluid in the middle ear of children, and a statistically significant
reduction in the lung function of children. The EPA's findings
also indicate that ETS results in additional episodes and increased
severity of asthma in children who suffer from this disease, and
is a risk factor for new cases of asthma in children who have
not previously displayed asthmatic symptoms.
The EPA reports that twenty-six percent of the population of the
United States, or about 50 million Americans, are smokers. As
the Council finds that virtually all Americans, including all
citizens of New York City, are likely to be exposed to ETS by
virtue of its widespread presence in public places and in the
workplace, and that exposure to ETS presents a substantial health
risk to nonsmokers, it is the Council's intention to strengthen
existing local laws which limit the areas in which smoking is
permissible. The Council is therefore placing further restrictions
on smoking in public places and in the workplace, including placing
restrictions which, in certain cases, limit smoking to separately
ventilated rooms. Further, the Council is prohibiting smoking
in particular places frequented by children, such as child day
care centers, children's institutions and playgrounds. It is the
Council's intention that these additional restrictions will help
protect children and nonsmoking adults from the health hazards
presented by exposure to ETS.
2. Section 17-501 of the administrative code of the city of New
York, as added by local law number 2 for the year 1988, is amended
to read as follows:
17-501 Short title. This chapter shall be known and may
be cited as the ["Clean Indoor Air Act] "Smoke-Free
Air Act."
3. Section 17-502 of such code, as added by local law number 2
for the year 1988, is amended to read as follows:
17-502 Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following
terms shall be defined as follows:
[a. "Area of public accommodation" means any room in
an enclosed public place to which the public is invited or permitted,
and which is designed or arranged to accommodate more than ten
members of the public at the same time.]
a. "Auditorium" means the part of a building where
an audience sits but does not include any corridors, hallways
or lobbies adjacent thereto.
b."Bar" means an [area] enclosed room or a business
establishment open to the public which is devoted to the selling
and serving of alcoholic beverages for consumption by patrons
on the premises and in which the serving of food, if served at
all, is only incidental to the sale or consumption of such
beverages.
[Although a bar may be contained within a larger restaurant] For
the purposes of this chapter, the term "bar":
(i) shall not include [the dining area of such restaurant,
even when the dining area is directly adjacent to or surrounds
the bar area] a restaurant bar; (ii) shall include any area
located in a hotel or motel (other than a restaurant bar) which
is devoted to the selling and serving of alcoholic beverages for
consumption by patrons on the premises and in which the serving
of food, if at all, is only incidental to the sale or consumption
of alcoholic beverages and (iii) shall include a cabaret as defined
in section 20-359 of the code which is required to be licensed
by the department of consumer affairs pursuant to section 20-360
of the code and in which the serving of food, if at all, is only
incidental to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
For the purposes of this subdivision, (i) service of food shall
be considered incidental to the sale or consumption of alcoholic
beverages if the food service generates less than forty percent
of total annual gross sales and (ii) any enclosed room or business
establishment open to the public which is devoted to the selling
and serving of alcoholic beverages for consumption by patrons
on the premises that generates forty percent or more of total
annual gross sales from the sale of food for on-premises consumption
shall be a restaurant.
c. "Business establishment" means any sole proprietorship,
partnership, association, joint venture, corporation or other
entity formed for profit-making purposes, including professional
corporations and other entities where legal, medical, dental,
engineering, architectural, financial, counseling, and other professional
or consumer services are provided.
d. "Child day care center" means (i) any public,
private or parochial child care center, school-age child care
program, day nursery school, kindergarten, play school, or other
similar school or service, (ii) any child care arrangement licensed
by the city, (iii) any facility that provides child care services
as defined in section four hundred ten-p of the New York state
social services law and (iv) any child day care center as defined
in section three hundred ninety of the New York state social services
law. Such definition applies whether or not care is given for
compensation and whether or not the child day care center is located
in a private residence.
e. "Children's institution" means (i) any public, private
or parochial congregate institution, group residence, group home
or other place where, for compensation or otherwise, seven or
more children under twenty-one years of age are received for day
and night care apart from their parents or guardians, (ii) youth
centers or facilities for detention as defined in sections five
hundred twenty-seven-A and five hundred two of the New York state
executive law, (iii) group homes for children as defined in section
three hundred seventy-one of the New York state social services
law, (iv) public institutions for children as defined in section
three hundred seventy-one of the New York state social services
law and (v) residential treatment facilities for children and
youth as defined in section 1.03 of the New York state mental
hygiene law.
f. ["Common work area" means:
1. Any enclosed area on the premises of a place of employment
where two or more employees are assigned to sit or otherwise be
present in the performance of their duties, and where such employees
share common work spaces, equipment or facilities such that each
employee is aware of or readily able to observe the activities
of others taking place in that work area.
2. Any enclosed area on the premises of a place of employment
which is occupied by a single employee, but which area is frequented
by other employees and/or members of the general public during
the normal course of business.]
"Commissioner" means the commissioner of the New York
City department of health.
[e.] g. "Department" means the New York City
department of health.
[g.] h. "Employee" means any person who is employed
by any employer in return for the payment of direct or indirect
monetary wages or profit, or any person who volunteers his or
her services to such employer for no monetary compensation.
[h.] i. "Employer" means any person, partnership,
association, corporation or non-profit entity which employs one
or more persons, including agencies of the city of New York, as
defined in section 1-112 of the [administrative] code, and the
council of the city of New York.
[i.] j. "Enclosed [area] room" means [all
space] a room which is completely enclosed on all
sides by solid floor-to-ceiling walls, windows or solid
floor-to-ceiling partitions, [irrespective of the size of such
area and of any doorway, stairway or passageway providing a means
of] and which complies with all applicable fire code requirements.
Any such windows in such room shall remain closed unless open
to the exterior and one or more doors, provided however, that
such doors shall remain closed except to the extent necessary
to permit ingress and egress to such [area] room.
[k. "Motion picture theater" means a motion picture
theater required to be licensed by the department of consumer
affairs pursuant to section 20-203 of the code.]
[j.] k. "Limousine" means a for-hire vehicle
required to be licensed by the taxi and limousine commission,
designed to carry fewer than nine passengers, excluding the driver,
which is dispatched from a garage, maintains a minimum of $500,000/$1,000,000
liability insurance coverage and in which passengers are charged
fees calculated on the basis of garage to garage service.
l. "Non-profit entity" means any corporation, unincorporated
association or other association or other entity created for charitable,
philanthropic, educational, political, social or other similar
purposes, the net proceeds from the operations of which are committed
to the promotion of the objects or purposes of the [organizations]
organization and not to secure private financial gain.
A public agency is not a "non-profit entity" within
the meaning of this subdivision.
m. "Place of employment" means any indoor area or
portion thereof under control of an employer which employees
normally frequent during the course of employment and which
is not generally accessible to the public, including, but
not limited to, private offices, work areas, employee lounges
and restrooms, conference and class rooms, employee cafeterias,
employee gymnasiums, auditoriums, libraries, storage rooms, file
rooms, mailrooms, employee medical facilities, rooms or areas
containing photocopying or other office equipment used in common
by employees, elevators, stairways and hallways. A private
residence is not a "place of employment" within the
meaning of this subdivision [unless], except that areas in
a private residence where a child day care center
or health care facility is operated [therein or unless it is a]
during the times when employees are working in such child day
care center or health care facility areas and areas in a private
residence which constitute common [area] areas of a
multiple dwelling [which contains] containing ten or more
dwelling units, are "places of employment" within
the meaning of this subdivision.
n. "Playground" means an outdoor area open to the
public where children play, which contains play equipment such
as a sliding board, swing, jungle gym, sandbox, or see-saw, or
which is designated as a play area.
[n.] o. "Private function" means weddings,
parties, testimonial dinners and other similar gatherings in which
the seating arrangements are under the control of the organizer
or sponsor of the event and not the person who owns, manages,
operates or otherwise controls the use of the place in which the
function is held.
[o.] p. "Public place" means any area to which
the public is invited or permitted, including, but not limited
to, banks, educational facilities, health care facilities, child
day care centers, children's institutions, shopping malls,
property owned, occupied or operated by the city of New York or
an agency thereof, public transportation facilities, reception
areas, restaurants, catering halls, retail stores, theaters,
sports arenas and recreational areas and waiting rooms.
A private residence is not a "public place" within the
meaning of this subdivision, [unless] except that areas in
a private residence where a child day care center
or health care facility is operated [therein or unless it is a]
during the times of operation and areas in a private residence
which constitute common [area] areas of a multiple
dwelling [which contains] containing ten or more dwelling
units, are "public places" within the meaning of
this subdivision.
q. "Residential health care facility" means
(i) a facility providing therein nursing care to sick, invalid,
infirm, disabled or convalescent persons in addition to lodging
and board service and (ii) an inpatient psychiatric facility which
provides individuals with active treatment under the direction
of a physician.
[p.] r. "Restaurant" means any coffee shop,
cafeteria, luncheonette, sandwich stand, diner, short order
cafe, fast food establishment, soda fountain, and any other
commercial eating or beverage establishment (other than
a bar), including a restaurant located in a hotel or motel,
or part of any organization, club, boardinghouse, or guesthouse,
which gives or offers for sale food or beverages to the
public, guests, or patrons, whether food [is] or beverages
are customarily consumed on or off the premises, but not an
establishment whose [primary] sole purpose is to serve
food or beverages to employees of a common employer or
to students of a common educational institution.
s. "Restaurant bar" means a contiguous area (i) in
a restaurant, (ii) containing a counter and (iii) which is primarily
devoted to the selling and serving of alcoholic beverages for
consumption by patrons on the premises and in which the serving
of food, if served at all, is only incidental to the sale or consumption
of alcoholic beverages in such restaurant bar.
[t. "Smoke-free work area" means an area within
a place of employment where smoking is not permitted.]
[q.] t. "Retail store" means any place which
in the regular course of business sells goods directly to the
public.
u. "Retail tobacco store" means a retail store devoted
primarily to the sale of any tobacco product, including but not
limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco and chewing tobacco,
and accessories and in which the sale of other products is merely
incidental. The sale of such other products shall be considered
incidental if such sales generate less than fifty percent of the
total annual gross sales.
[r.] v. "Second-hand smoke" is that smoke
to which people are involuntarily exposed, either through a smoker
exhaling smoke from a tobacco product, or through the lighting
or burning of any tobacco product.
w. "Separate smoking room" means an enclosed room
in which smoking is permitted. Such room shall (i) be clearly
designated, (ii) comply with all applicable fire code requirements
and (iii) have a separate ventilation system whereby the air from
such enclosed room is immediately exhausted to an outdoor area
(exclusive of any seating area) by an exhaust fan rather than
being recirculated inside, and is negatively pressurized to prevent
backstreaming of second-hand smoke into smoke-free areas.
Such room may contain furniture and telephone equipment. Such
room shall not contain the sole means of ingress and egress to
restrooms or any other smoke-free area.
[s.] x. "Service line" or "waiting area"
means a queue, line or other formation of persons, whether seated
or standing, in which one or more persons is waiting for[, providing
or receiving,] service of any kind, whether or not such service
involves an exchange of consideration.
[u.] y. "Smoking" means inhaling, exhaling, burning
or carrying any lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or any form of
lighted object or device which contains tobacco.
[v.] z. "Sports arena and recreational area"
means any sports pavilion, stadium, racetrack, [gymnasium,
health spa,] boxing arena, [swimming pool,] roller or ice skating
rink, bowling [alley] establishment and other similar place
where members of the general public assemble either to engage
in physical exercise, participate in athletic or recreational
competition or activity or witness sports, cultural,
recreational or similar [events] activities. Playgrounds,
zoos, gymnasiums, health clubs, billiard parlors, enclosed areas
containing a swimming pool and areas where bingo is played are
not "sports arenas and recreational areas" within the
meaning of this subdivision.
[w.] aa. "Tobacco business" means a sole proprietorship,
corporation, partnership or other enterprise in which the primary
activity is the sale, manufacture, or promotion of tobacco, tobacco
products and accessories either at wholesale or retail, and in
which the sale, manufacture or promotion of other products is
merely incidental.
bb. "Zoo" means any indoor area open to the public
for the purpose of viewing animals. An aquarium is a "zoo"
within the meaning of this subdivision.
4. Section 17-503 of such code, as added by local law
number 2 for the year 1988, and as amended by local law number
83 for the year 1992, is amended to read as follows:
17-503 Prohibition of smoking in public places. a. Smoking
is prohibited in all enclosed areas within public places during
the times in which the public is invited or permitted, except
as otherwise restricted in accordance with the provisions below.
Such public places include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Public transportation facilities, including, but not limited
to, ticketing, boarding and waiting areas of public transit depots;
provided, however, that this section shall not prohibit smoking
in [contiguous] separate smoking rooms designated as waiting
areas [designated for smoking], so long as the aggregate of
all such [areas] rooms do not constitute more than
[fifty] twenty-five percent of the total waiting area in
the public transit depot and such rooms do not contain the
sole source of (i) vending machines, (ii) beverage or food service
or (iii) place of payment for services.
2. Public means of mass transportation, including, but not limited
to, subway cars and all underground areas of a subway station,
buses, vans, taxicabs and all for-hire vehicles, including
but not limited to limousines, required to be licensed or
franchised by the city of New York [; provided that this prohibition
shall not apply to limousines].
3. Public restrooms.
4. Retail stores (other than retail tobacco stores) [and
certain restaurants pursuant to] ;provided, however, that any
enclosed room in a retail store which is devoted to the sale of
food or beverage for on-premises consumption shall be governed
by the provisions of paragraph five of this subdivision[)
which are designed and arranged to accommodate more than one hundred
fifty persons, or which employ more than fifteen persons at the
same location. Smoking may be permitted in retail stores which
are designed and arranged to accommodate one hundred fifty or
fewer persons, and which employ fifteen or fewer persons, provided:
(A) That smoking is not otherwise prohibited by any other law
or regulation; and (B) That the proprietor of such establishment
posts signs at the entrance and at appropriate locations within
the premises, indicating that smoking is permitted therein. A
proprietor of a retail store not otherwise subject to the smoking
restrictions of this section may voluntarily choose to prohibit
smoking in his or her establishment in accordance with the provisions
pertaining to retail stores arranged to accommodate more than
one hundred fifty persons, or which employ more than fifteen persons,
by filing a notice with the department in a manner and form prescribed
by rule or regulation of the department. Upon proper filing of
such notice, all provisions of this chapter shall take effect
with respect to said establishment.
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit such
proprietors who do not undertake such filing, from restricting
smoking in their retail stores provided, however, that the proprietor
shall post a sign at the entrance indicating that smoking is permitted
therein, and further, that the proprietor shall not state or otherwise
represent to the public that any of the provisions of this chapter
are in effect with respect to said establishment].
5. Restaurants with an indoor seating capacity of more than [fifty]
thirty-five patrons (the determination of which excludes
any seating at tables in a restaurant bar at which only beverage
service is offered and seating at any counter in a restaurant
bar serviced by a bartender); provided, however, that smoking
may be permitted in (i) any enclosed room designated as a smoking
lounge in which only beverage service is offered and (ii)
any [part] area of the restaurant which constitutes a restaurant
bar as defined in subdivision [b] s of section 17-502[,
and in a contiguous area designated for smoking, so long as such
area contains no more than fifty percent of the indoor seating
capacity of the restaurant] when the following conditions are
met: (A) the perimeter of such restaurant bar is located at least
six feet from the perimeter of any indoor dining area of such
restaurant (not including the seating area located within the
restaurant bar) or such restaurant bar is separated by a solid
floor-to-ceiling partition from any indoor dining area (not including
the seating area located within the restaurant bar); (B) the smoking
lounge and restaurant bar do not individually or in the aggregate
exceed twenty-five percent of the aggregate square footage of
the areas of such restaurant offering public dining, beverage
service and lounges (whether smoking or other lounges); (C) seating
at tables in such restaurant bar at which food service is offered
(excluding seating at any counter in a restaurant bar serviced
by a bartender) shall be limited to: (i) no more than fifteen
percent of up to and including one hundred seats at tables in
such restaurant at which food service is offered (excluding seating
at any counter in a restaurant bar serviced by a bartender) and
(ii) no more than ten percent of any seats in excess of one hundred
seats at tables in such restaurant at which food service is offered
(excluding seating at any counter in a restaurant bar serviced
by a bartender); and (D) the smoking lounge and restaurant bar
are not the sole indoor patron waiting areas of such restaurant.
In calculating the square footage of the areas of such restaurant
offering public dining, beverage service and lounges (whether
smoking or other lounges) pursuant to this subdivision, all spaces
(whether or not occupied by furniture or any counter) in such
public dining areas, beverage service areas and lounges shall
be included; provided, however, that rooms used exclusively for
private functions, service areas (including areas behind any counter)
and other areas to which the general public does not generally
have access (such as storage rooms, kitchens, offices and cloakrooms),
restrooms, telephone areas and waiting areas (other than waiting
areas located in any lounges) shall not be included.
[A proprietor or other designated employee may, in his or her
discretion, exceed the fifty percent limit for smoking, by no
more than ten percent of the indoor seating capacity, in a situation
where a party of six or more persons requests to be seated, at
a time when the only available seats are located, in whole or
in part, in the nonsmoking section. A proprietor shall only accommodate
such party when the available seating is in an area contiguous
to the designated smoking area of the restaurant. Every restaurant
with a seating capacity of more than fifty patrons permitting
smoking therein in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph,
shall post signs indicating that nonsmoking sections are available,
in addition to any other signs as required by subdivision a of
section 17-506. When an employee responsible for seating arrangements
is on duty each patron, prior to being seated, shall be asked
his or her preference regarding seat location in a smoking or
nonsmoking section. Smoking may be permitted in restaurants with
an indoor seating capacity of fifty patrons or fewer, provided:
(A) That smoking is not otherwise prohibited by any other law
or regulation; (B) That the proprietor of such establishment,
in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner,
certifies the indoor seating capacity of the restaurant; and (C)
That the proprietor of such establishment posts signs at the entrance
and at appropriate locations within the premises, indicating that
smoking is permitted therein. An owner of a restaurant with an
indoor seating capacity of fifty patrons or fewer, who is not
otherwise subject to the smoking restrictions of this section,
may voluntarily choose to prohibit smoking in his or her establishment
in accordance with the provisions pertaining to restaurants with
an indoor seating capacity of more than fifty patrons, by filing
a notice with the department in a manner and form prescribed by
rule or regulation of the department. Upon proper filing of such
notice, all provisions of this law shall take effect with respect
to said establishment. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed
to prohibit proprietors who do not undertake such filing, from
restricting smoking in their restaurants; provided, however, that
the proprietor shall post a sign at the entrance indicating that
smoking is permitted therein, and further, that the proprietor
shall not state or otherwise represent to the public that any
of the provisions of this chapter are in effect with respect to
said establishment.]
6. Business establishments [employing more than fifteen employees]
(other than bars, billiard parlors, restaurants, catering
halls, retail stores, tobacco businesses and retail tobacco
stores, and except as otherwise provided in this subdivision)
including banks and other financial institutions, [hotels,
motels,] offices where trade or vocational activity occurs
or professional or consumer services are rendered and non-profit
entities, including religious institutions; provided[: (A) In
business establishments and non-profit entities employing fifteen
or fewer employees at one location, smoking may be permitted in
contiguous areas designated for smoking, provided that it shall
be the responsibility of employers, to the extent reasonably practicable,
to provide smoke-free work areas for nonsmoking employees who
sit or otherwise occupy common work areas in places of employment
and to give notice to employees of the location of such smoke-free
work areas; (B) That] that the smoking prohibition[, within
establishments or entities employing more than fifteen employees,]
(A) applies only to [those areas of] public [accommodation]
places and not to private areas to which the general public
does not generally have access; and [(C) That with respect
to hotels and motels, smoking may be permitted in a contiguous
area designated for smoking, so long as such area, to the extent
reasonably practicable, is not within a twenty-foot radius of
that part of what is commonly referred to as the front desk or
registration desk to which the public has access, and so long
as such smoking area does not constitute more than fifty percent
of any area commonly called a lobby] (B) does not apply to
hotel and motel lobbies.
7. Libraries, museums and galleries.
8. Motion picture theaters, concert halls, [auditoriums and],
buildings or areas or rooms in buildings (other than auditoriums)
primarily used for[,] or designed for the primary purpose of[,]
exhibiting movies[,] or presenting performances, including,
but not limited to stage [drama], musical recital, dance,
lecture or other similar [performance] performances (other
than bars), except [when] that smoking [is] may
be part of a theatrical production; provided, however, that
smoking may be permitted in [a contiguous area designated for]
separate smoking rooms which constitute lounges,
so long as [such area contains no more than fifty] the aggregate
of all such lounges does not exceed twenty-five percent of
[any area commonly called a lobby] the total square footage
of lounge space of such establishments open to the public and
such lounges do not contain the sole source of (i) vending machines,
(ii) beverage or food service or (iii) place of payment for services.
Smoking may also be permitted in separate smoking rooms which
are located in the viewing area of such establishments, so long
as the aggregate seating capacity of all such rooms does not exceed
twenty-five percent of the total seating capacity of the viewing
area of such establishment.
9. Auditoriums.
10. Convention halls; provided, that smoking may be permitted:
(A) In [a contiguous area designated for smoking] separate
smoking rooms which constitute lounges, so long as the
aggregate of all such [area constitutes no more than] lounges
does not exceed twenty-five percent of the [seating capacity
or] total square footage of [floor] lounge space
open to the public[, whichever is greater,] for a particular event
taking place within the convention hall[; (B) In a contiguous
area designated for smoking, so long as such smoking area constitutes
no more than fifty percent of any area commonly called a lobby;
and (C) At conventions of private groups where the persons participating
in the convention are individually identified by the sponsor or
organizer of the convention, or determined by law], and such
lounges do not contain the sole source of (i) vending machines,
(ii) beverage or food service, or (iii) place of payment for services;
(B) In separate smoking rooms which are located in the viewing
area of the convention hall, so long as the aggregate square footage
of all such rooms does not exceed twenty-five percent of the total
viewing area of such convention hall; (C) In any enclosed area
of the concourse (the indoor area located behind the seating or
viewing area which is used for access to and from the seating
or viewing area, excluding any ramps used for ingress and egress),
so long as the aggregate of all such enclosed concourse areas
does not exceed twenty-five percent of the total square footage
of the concourse open to the public; and (D) In an enclosed room
devoted to the selling and serving of alcoholic beverages for
consumption by patrons on the premises.
[10.] 11. Sports arenas and recreational areas;
provided[:
(A) That] that smoking may be permitted in [a contiguous
area designated for smoking] separate smoking rooms which constitute
lounges, so long as the aggregate of all such [area
constitutes no more than fifty] lounges does not exceed twenty-five
percent of [any area commonly called a lobby] the total square
footage of the lounge space of such sports arenas and recreational
areas open to the public and such lounges do not contain the sole
source of (i) vending machines, (ii) beverage or food service
or (iii) place of payment for services. Smoking may also be permitted
in: (A) separate smoking rooms which are located in the viewing
area of such sports arena and recreational areas, so long as the
aggregate seating capacity of all such rooms does not exceed twenty-five
percent of the total seating capacity of such sports arena and
recreational areas; (B) enclosed rooms devoted to the selling
and serving of alcoholic beverages for consumption by patrons
on the premises; (C) private box seats in enclosed rooms or separate
viewing suites which constitute enclosed rooms; (D) in any enclosed
area of the concourse (the indoor area located behind the seating
or viewing area which is used for access to and from the seating
or viewing area excluding any ramps used for ingress and egress),
so long as the aggregate of all such enclosed areas of the concourse
does not exceed twenty-five percent of the total square footage
of the concourse open to the public; and (E) any unenclosed concourse
area (the unenclosed area which is at least partially opened to
the outside of the sports arena or recreational area, is located
behind the seating area and which is used for access to and from
the seating or viewing area, excluding any ramps used for ingress
and egress), so long as any smoking area located in an unenclosed
concourse shall be located at least twenty-five feet from any
seating or viewing area, restroom, public telephone, beverage
or food service area, concession stand, automatic teller machine,
or any service line or waiting area; [and
(B) That] provided, further,that with respect to bowling
[alleys] establishments, smoking is [prohibited in the
bowler settee area (the area occupied by bowlers while keeping
score and actually bowling), but may be] also permitted
in a [contiguous] designated area of the concourse (the area directly
behind the bowler settee area which is the area occupied by
bowlers while keeping score or actually bowling), so long
as such smoking area does not constitute more than fifty percent
of the floor space of the concourse [area] and the perimeter
of such smoking area is located at least six feet from the perimeter
of the bowler settee area.
12. Gymnasiums, health clubs and enclosed areas containing
a swimming pool.
[11.] 13. Places of meeting or public assembly during
such time as a meeting open to the public is being conducted for
educational, religious, recreational, or political purposes, but
not including meetings conducted in private residences, unless
such meetings are conducted in an area in a private residence
where a child day care center or health care facility
is operated [therein] during the times of operation or
[unless such meeting is conducted] in an area which constitutes
a common area of a multiple dwelling [which contains] containing
ten or more dwelling units.
[12]. 14. Health care facilities including, but not limited
to, hospitals, clinics, psychiatric facilities, residential
health care facilities, physical therapy facilities, convalescent
homes, and homes for the aged; provided, however, that this [section]
paragraph shall not prohibit smoking in [areas designated
for smoking in restaurants and dining areas and in offices which
are not ordinarily used for care and treatment of patients as
long as] separate smoking rooms for employees permitted pursuant
to section 17-504 which (A) receive prior written approval
[is received] from the fire commissioner pursuant to section 27-4276
of the code and (B) [smoking in such restaurants and dining areas
is not otherwise prohibited pursuant to paragraph five of this
subdivision, and smoking in offices which] are not ordinarily
used for care and treatment of patients [is not otherwise prohibited
pursuant to section 17-504]. In addition, this section shall not
prohibit smoking in [patient] enclosed rooms designated as
smoking lounges [designated for smoking,] for patients
or for patients and visitors provided that [(A)] prior written
approval is received from the fire commissioner pursuant to section
27-4276 of the code [and (B) such lounges shall not constitute
more than fifty percent of the total lounge space available].
[13. All pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools providing
instruction for students at or below the twelfth-grade level.
This paragraph shall apply to all enclosed areas of such schools
notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of section 17-504
or 17-505 of this chapter which permit smoking in certain work
areas of places of employment.
14.] 15. All schools other than [those covered in paragraph
thirteen of this subdivision] public and private pre-primary,
primary, and secondary schools providing instruction for students
at or below the twelfth-grade level, including, but not limited
to, community colleges, technical training establishments, specialty
schools, colleges and universities; provided, however, that this
section shall not prohibit smoking in:
(A) [Areas designated for] Separate smoking [in
employee lunchrooms, cafeterias and lounges,] rooms for employees
pursuant to [paragraph four of] the requirements set forth
in subdivision [b] a of section 17-504, provided that
prior written approval is received from the fire commissioner;
and
(B) [Areas designated for] Separate smoking rooms
in student dining areas or lounges the aggregate of which
shall constitute not more than [fifty] twenty-five percent
of the seating capacity or floor space[, whichever is greater,]
of such student dining areas or lounges, provided that prior written
approval is received from the fire commissioner and such rooms
do not contain the sole source of (i) vending machines, (ii) beverage
or food service or (iii) place of payment for services.
16. Children's institutions.
17. Zoos.
[15.] 18. Elevators.
b. Smoking is prohibited on any service line, waiting area, or
portion thereof, whether located indoor or outdoor [in
an enclosed area within a public place] during the times in which
the public is invited or permitted, notwithstanding the fact that
the service line, waiting area, or portion thereof, is in an area
otherwise designated for smoking pursuant to subdivision a of
this section[, except for that which is provided for in paragraph
one. This]; provided, however, that this subdivision shall
not be construed to prohibit smoking in any area where smoking
is [not prohibited] permitted pursuant to section 17-505.
c. Smoking is prohibited in the following outdoor areas of
public places during the times in which the public is invited
or permitted, except as otherwise restricted in accordance with
the provisions below:
1. Outdoor dining areas of restaurants; provided, however, that
smoking may be permitted in a contiguous outdoor area designated
for smoking so long as such area constitutes no more than twenty-five
percent of the outdoor seating capacity of such restaurant.
2. Outdoor seating or viewing areas of open-air motion picture
presentations or open-air concert, stage, dance, lecture or recital
presentations or performances or other similar open-air presentations
or performances, when seating or standing room is assigned by
issuance of tickets.
3. Outdoor seating or viewing areas of sports arenas and recreational
areas, when seating or standing room is assigned by issuance of
tickets.
4. Outdoor areas of all children's institutions.
5. Playgrounds.
d. Smoking is prohibited in all indoor and outdoor areas of
the following public places at all times:
1. All public and private pre-primary, primary, and secondary
schools providing instruction for students at or below the twelfth-grade
level, and any vehicles owned, operated or leased by such schools
which are used to transport such students or the personnel of
such schools.
2. All child day care centers; provided, however, that with respect
to child day care centers operated in private residences, this
paragraph shall apply only to those areas of such private residences
where the child day care centers are operated during the times
of operation or during the time employees are working in such
child day care centers.
5. Section 17-504 of such code, as added by local law number
2 for the year 1988, is amended to read as follows:
17-504 Regulation of smoking in places of employment.
a. [It shall be the responsibility of employers who employ more
than fifteen employees to provide, to the extent reasonably practicable,
smoke-free work areas for nonsmoking employees who sit or otherwise
occupy common work areas] Smoking is prohibited in those
indoor areas of places of employment to which the general
public does not generally have access[. Nothing in]; provided,
however, that this section shall [be construed to apply to
business establishments and non-profit entities employing fifteen
or fewer employees] not prohibit an employer (other than a
public or private pre-primary, primary and secondary school providing
instruction for students at or below the twelfth-grade level and
a child day care center) from providing a single separate smoking
room on each floor occupied in whole or in part by such place
of employment, so long as (i) such room does not exceed 300 square
feet and (ii) no employee is required to pass through or use such
room for work-related activities. Such room shall not contain
any office equipment, other than telephone equipment, or be the
sole source of (i) vending machines, (ii) beverage or food services,
(iii) place of payment for services or (iv) kitchen facilities.
In addition, this section shall not prohibit smoking in any area
where smoking is not regulated pursuant to section 17-505.
b. Smoking may be permitted in any private, enclosed office
which is usually occupied by no more than three individuals; provided,
however, that: (i) smoking is prohibited in any such office whenever
more than three people are present, (ii) when more than one person
is present in such office, smoking is permitted only when at least
one of the persons present is the usual occupant of such office,
and when each and every person present in such office consents
to permit smoking therein and (iii) the door to any such office
shall be completely closed while smoking is occurring and for
a reasonable period of time thereafter in order to minimize or
eliminate the drift of second-hand smoke from such office into
smoke-free areas.
c. Smoking is prohibited in company vehicles occupied by more
than one person unless the occupants of such vehicle agree that
smoking may be permitted.
d. No employer shall take any retaliatory adverse personnel action
against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis
of such person's exercise, or attempt to exercise, his or her
rights under this chapter with respect to the place of employment,
which includes the right to refuse to enter a separate smoking
room while anyone is smoking in such room. Such adverse personnel
action includes, but is not limited to, dismissal, demotion, suspension,
disciplinary action, negative performance evaluation, any action
resulting in loss of staff, compensation or other benefit, failure
to hire, failure to appoint, failure to promote, or transfer or
assignment or failure to transfer or assign against the wishes
of the affected employee. The employer shall establish a procedure
to provide for the adequate redress of any such adverse personnel
action taken against an employee in retaliation for that employee's
attempt to exercise his or her rights under this chapter with
respect to the place of employment.
[b.] e. [Within ninety days after the effective date
of this chapter] By November 1, 1995, every employer [employing
more than fifteen employees and having employees occupying common
work areas] subject to the provisions of this chapter shall
adopt, implement, make known [and], maintain and update
to reflect any changes, a written smoking policy which shall
contain at minimum, the following requirements:
[1. That an employee may designate his or her work area as a nonsmoking
area, which area must be, to the extent reasonably practicable
in the employer's discretion, no less than eight feet from an
area where smoking is permitted, and shall post such designation
with an appropriate sign or signs, to be provided by the employer.
If, due to the proximity of persons smoking, size of the work
area, poor ventilation or other factors, such designation does
not sufficiently reduce the effects of smoke, the employer shall
make additional reasonable accommodations by rearranging employee
work areas, expanding the size of the smoke-free work area or
implementing other measures reasonably designed to minimize or
eliminate the effects of smoke on nonsmoking employees.
2. That smoking may be permitted in private, enclosed offices,
and in enclosed areas occupied exclusively by employees who each
request, or do not object, that such areas be designated for smoking,
even though such enclosed areas may be visited in the normal course
of business by other persons or employees.
3. Prohibition of smoking in auditoriums, classrooms, elevators,
hallways, restrooms, employee medical facilities, and rooms or
areas containing photocopying or other office equipment used in
common by employees. Smoking is prohibited in conference rooms
and meeting rooms unless each and every person present in the
room consents to permit smoking therein.
4.] 1. The [designation] prohibition of [nonsmoking
areas in cafeterias, lunchrooms and employee lounges, which areas
shall constitute at least fifty percent of the seating capacity
or floor space of said areas, whichever is greater] smoking
except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any
rules promulgated pursuant thereto, and a description of the smoking
restrictions adopted or implemented.
[5.] 2. The establishment of a procedure to resolve disputes
arising under the smoking policy in which the health concerns
of the employee desiring a smoke-free area shall be [given due
consideration] accorded priority.
[6. Protection] 3. As set forth in subdivision d of this section,
the (A) protection from retaliatory adverse personnel action
with respect to all employees or applicants for employment
who exercise, or attempt to exercise, any rights granted under
[the written smoking policy pursuant to this] such
subdivision[. Such adverse personnel action includes, but
is not limited to, dismissal, demotion, suspension, disciplinary
action, negative performance evaluation, any action resulting
in loss of staff, compensation or other benefit, failure to hire,
failure to appoint, failure to promote, or any transfer or assignment
or failure to transfer or assign against the wishes of the effected
employee. The employer shall establish]; and (B) the establishment
of a procedure to provide for the adequate redress of any
such adverse personnel action taken against an employee in retaliation
for that employee's attempt to exercise his or her rights under
this [section] chapter with respect to the place of employment.
[c. An employer may designate a separate enclosed room or rooms
within a place of employment solely for use by smokers.
d.] f. Employers shall prominently post the smoking policy
in the workplace, and shall, within three weeks of its adoption
and any modification, disseminate the policy to all employees,
and to new employees when hired.
[e.] g. Employers shall supply a written copy of the smoking
policy upon request to any employee or prospective employee.
[f.] h. A copy of the smoking policy shall be provided
to the department, the department of buildings, the department
of consumer affairs, the department of environmental protection,
the fire department and the department of sanitation upon request.
[g.] i. This section shall not be construed to permit smoking
in any [enclosed] area in which smoking is prohibited or restricted
pursuant to section 17-503. Where a place of employment is also
a public place where smoking is prohibited or restricted
pursuant to section 17-503, the employer shall [nevertheless]
be required to adhere to the provisions of this section with respect
to the private areas to which the general public does not generally
have access.
[h.] j. Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair,
diminish, or otherwise affect any collectively bargained procedure
or remedy available to an employee, existing as of [the date this
local law is enacted] February 1, 1995, with respect to
disputes arising under the employer's smoking policy or with respect
to the establishment of a procedure for redress of any adverse
personnel action taken against an employee in retaliation for
that employee's attempt to exercise his or her rights under this
[section] chapter with respect to the place of employment.
Upon expiration of any such collectively bargained procedure or
remedy, the provisions of this section shall take effect.
6. Section 17-505 of such code, as added by local law number 2
for the year 1988, is amended to read as follows:
17-505 Areas where smoking is not regulated by this
chapter. The following areas shall not be subject to
the smoking restrictions of this chapter; provided, however,
that nothing in this section shall be construed to permit smoking
where smoking is otherwise prohibited or restricted by any other
law or rule:
a. Bars, including any bar [within a restaurant, so long as the
serving of food both adjacent to, and surrounding the bar area,
is only incidental to the consumption of alcoholic beverages]
located in a hotel or motel, but not including a restaurant
bar located in a hotel or motel.
b. Private residences, except [when] any area of a private
residence where a child day care center or health
care facility is operated [therein] (i) during the times of
operation or (ii) during the times when employees are working
in such child day care center or health care facility areas;
provided, however, that a common area of a multiple dwelling [which
contains] containing ten or more dwelling units
shall be subject to smoking restrictions [when it is a place of
employment or a public place].
c. Hotel and motel rooms occupied by, or available for, occupancy
by guests.
d. [Retail stores which are designed and arranged to accommodate
one hundred fifty or fewer persons and which employ fifteen or
fewer persons, except as provided in paragraph four of subdivision
a of section 17-503] Hotel and motel lobbies.
e. Tobacco businesses.
f. Private automobiles.
g. [Private, enclosed offices] Retail tobacco stores.
h. Enclosed areas or rooms in restaurants, catering halls,
convention halls, hotel and motel conference rooms, and other
such similar facilities during the time these enclosed areas or
rooms are being used exclusively for private functions [,such
that the seating arrangements are under the control of the sponsor
or organizer of the function and not the person who owns, operates
or manages such facility].
i. Restaurants with an indoor seating capacity of [fifty] thirty-five
patrons or fewer, [except as provided in] pursuant to paragraph
five of subdivision a of section 17-503.
j. Billiard parlors.
k. Public areas where bingo is held; provided, however, that this
subdivision shall not apply to any bingo games held in child day
care centers and in public and private pre-primary, primary and
secondary schools providing instruction for students at or below
the twelfth-grade level.
l. Limousines under private hire by any person.
7. Section 17-506 of such code, as added by local law number
2 for the year 1988, is amended to read as follows:
17-506 Posting of signs; prohibition of ashtrays.
a. Except as may otherwise be provided by rules [and regulations]
promulgated by the commissioner, "Smoking" or "No
Smoking" signs, or the international symbols indicating the
same, and any other signs necessary to comply with the provisions
of this chapter shall be prominently and conspicuously posted
[at all major entrances to, and appropriate locations within,
each enclosed area] where smoking is either prohibited, permitted
or otherwise regulated by this chapter, by the owner, operator,
manager or other person having control of such area. The size,
style and location of such signs shall be determined in accordance
with rules [and regulations] promulgated by the commissioner,
but in promulgating such rules [and regulations], the commissioner
shall take into consideration the concerns of the various types
of establishments regulated herein with respect to the style and
design of such signs.
b. In addition to the posting of signs as provided in subdivision
a, every [motion picture theater] owner, manager or operator of
a theater which exhibits motion pictures to the public shall
show upon the screen for at least five seconds prior to the showing
of each feature motion picture, information indicating the areas
where smoking is prohibited and permitted within the premises.
c. The owner, operator or manager of a hotel or motel that
chooses to develop and implement a smoking policy for rooms rented
to guests shall post a notice at the reception area of the establishment
as to the availability, upon request, of smoke-free rooms.
d. Ashtrays are prohibited in all smoke-free areas covered by
this chapter, except ashtrays offered for sale.
8. Section 17-507 as added by local law number 2 for the year
1988, is amended by relettering subdivision d as subdivision f,
and by amending subdivision c and by adding new subdivisions d
and e to read as follows:
c. [The owner, manager, operator or other person having control
of] With respect to a public place or place of employment,
the operator or employer shall inform, or shall designate
an agent who shall be responsible for informing, individuals smoking
in restricted areas that they are in violation of [the] this
local law; provided, however, that the obligations under
this subdivision with respect to an operator of a multiple dwelling
containing ten or more dwelling units shall be limited to (i)
those multiple dwellings where an agent is on duty and (ii) designating
such agent to be responsible for informing individuals smoking
in restricted common indoor areas where such agent is on duty,
during the times such agent is on duty, that such individuals
are in violation of this local law.
d. Where an owner or building manager of a public place where
smoking is prohibited or restricted pursuant to section 17-503
is not the operator of such public place but has an agent on duty
in such place, the owner or building manager shall designate such
agent to inform individuals smoking in restricted common indoor
areas (i) where such agent is on duty and (ii) during the times
when such agent is on duty, that such individuals are in violation
of this local law.
e. Where an owner or building manager of a building in which a
place of employment is located where smoking is prohibited or
restricted pursuant to section 17-504 is not the operator or employer
of such place of employment but has an agent on duty in such place,
the owner or building manager shall designate such agent to inform
individuals smoking in restricted common indoor areas (i) where
such agent is on duty and (ii) during the times when such agent
is on duty, that such individuals are in violation of this local
law. Such owner or building manager shall also mail a notice to
tenants operating such place of employment, informing such tenants
of their obligations under this chapter with respect to such restricted
common indoor areas.
A copy of the mailed notice shall be provided to the department
upon request.
9. Subdivisions a, b, c and e of section 17-508 of such code,
as added by local law number 2 for the year 1988, are amended
to read as follows:
a. It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, manages, operates
or otherwise controls the use of premises in which smoking is
prohibited or restricted pursuant to section 17-503, or
the designated agent thereof, to [fail to comply with any limitation
on the size of an area] (i) provide a room designated for
smoking [pursuant to subdivision a of section 17-503; to],
including, but not limited, to a separate smoking room, which
fails to comply with the provisions of this chapter; provided,
however, that the obligations of an owner or building manager
of a building (where such owner or building manager of a building
in which a public place or a place of employment is located is
not the operator or employer of such public place or place of
employment) with respect to such a room shall be limited to work
authorized by any permits necessary to perform construction obtained
by the owner or his or her agent; (ii) fail to post the signs
required by section 17-506 [and paragraphs four and five of subdivision
a of section 17-503]; (iii) fail to remove ashtrays as required
by subdivision d of section 17-506; or [to] (iv) fail
to make a good faith effort to comply with [subdivision] subdivisions
c,d and e of section 17-507. In actions brought for violations
of this subdivision, [it shall be an affirmative defense] the
following shall be affirmative defenses: (i) that during the
relevant time period actual control of the premises was not exercised
by the respondent or a person under the control of the respondent,
but rather by a lessee, sublessee or any other person; provided,
however, that after receiving the notice of violation, the respondent
submits to the department within five business days, by certified
mail, a sworn affidavit and other such proof as may be necessary,
indicating that he or she has not exercised actual control during
the relevant time period; (ii) that a person smoking in any
area where smoking is prohibited pursuant to section 17-503 was
informed by a person who owns, manages, operates or otherwise
controls the use of such premises, or the designated agent thereof,
that such person smoking is in violation of this local law and
that such person who owns, manages operates or otherwise controls
the use of such premises has complied with all applicable provisions
of this chapter during the relevant time period; provided, however,
that after receiving notice of violation, the respondent submits
to the department within five business days, by certified mail,
a sworn affidavit and other such proof as may be necessary, indicating
that respondent informed the person smoking in any area where
smoking is prohibited pursuant to section 17-503 that such person
was in violation of this local law and that respondent has complied
with all applicable provisions of this chapter during the relevant
time period; or (iii) that a person smoking in any restricted
common indoor area where smoking is prohibited pursuant to section
17-503 was not informed by the owner or building manager of the
premises (where such owner or building manager of a building in
which a public place or a place of employment is located is not
the operator or employer of such public place or place of employment)
or by the operator of a multiple dwelling containing ten or more
dwelling units that such person smoking is in violation of this
local law because such owner, building manager or operator did
not have a designated agent on duty when such person was smoking
and that such owner or building manager has, where applicable,
complied with the mailing of a notice required pursuant to subdivision
e of section 17-507; provided, however, that after receiving notice
of violation, the respondent submits to the department within
five business days, by certified mail, a sworn affidavit and other
such proof as may be necessary, indicating that a person smoking
in any restricted common indoor area where smoking is prohibited
pursuant to section 17-503 was not informed by the respondent
that such person smoking is in violation of this local law because
the respondent did not have a designated agent on duty when such
person was smoking and that the respondent has, where applicable,
mailed the notice required pursuant to subdivision e of section
17-507.
b. It shall be unlawful for an employer whose place of employment
is subject to regulation under section 17-504 to fail to comply
with the provisions of that section, including, but not limited
to, those provisions requiring the adoption, implementation, dissemination
and maintenance of a written smoking policy which conforms to
the requirements of subdivision [b] e of section 17-504,
or to fail to make a good faith effort to comply with subdivision
c of section 17-507. In actions brought for violations of this
subdivision, it shall be an affirmative defense that the employer
(i) has made good faith efforts to insure that employees
comply with the provisions of such written smoking policy and
(ii) has complied with all applicable provisions of this chapter.
c. It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, manages or operates
a restaurant in which smoking is [restricted to designated areas]
regulated pursuant to paragraph five of subdivision a of
section 17-503, to fail to: (i) make good faith efforts
to insure that employees responsible for seating arrangements
substantially comply with the seating requirements [set
forth therein] with respect to a restaurant bar pursuant to
paragraph five of subdivision a of section 17-503 or a designated
outdoor area pursuant to paragraph one of subdivision c of section
17-503 and (ii) comply with the provisions of paragraph five of
subdivision a of section 17-503 including, but not limited to,
the calculation of aggregate square footage in the determination
of the size of any restaurant bar and lounge, the limitation on
the number of seats permitted for dining in the restaurant bar,
or the installation of a solid floor-to-ceiling partition or the
imposition of a six-foot distance separating a restaurant bar
from the indoor dining area of a restaurant. The obligations of
an owner of a building with respect to construction or installation
of a floor-to-ceiling partition shall be limited to work authorized
by any permits necessary to perform such work obtained by the
owner. In addition, it shall be unlawful for any person who owns,
manages or operates a restaurant for which an exemption is asserted
pursuant to subdivision i of section 17-505 to fail to comply
with the provisions of paragraph five of subdivision a of section
17-503 with respect to the calculation of indoor seating capacity
in the assertion of an exemption.
e. Every person who violates subdivisions a, b or c of this section
shall, for a first violation thereof, be liable for a civil penalty
of not [more] less than one hundred dollars nor more
than two hundred dollars; for a second violation, both of
which were committed within a period of twelve months, be liable
for a civil penalty of not [more] less than two hundred
dollars nor more than four hundred dollars and for a third
or subsequent violation, all of which were committed within a
period of twelve months, be liable for a civil penalty of not
[more] less than five hundred dollars nor more than
one thousand dollars. Every person who violates subdivision
d of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of [up to
fifty] one hundred dollars for each violation.
10. Subdivision a of section 17-509 of such code, as added by
local law number 2 for the year 1988, is amended to read as follows:
a. The commissioner or his or her designee may grant a waiver
from the application of a specific provision of this chapter;
provided that prior to the granting of any such waiver, the applicant
for waiver shall clearly establish that compliance with a specific
provision of this chapter would cause the applicant undue financial
hardship or that other factors exist which would render strict
compliance unreasonable. No waiver shall be granted for any
reason relating to the construction or installation of (i) a separate
smoking room, (ii) an enclosed room where smoking is permitted
or (iii) a solid floor-to-ceiling partition separating a restaurant
bar from the indoor dining area of a restaurant.
11. Section 17-512 of such code, as added by local law number
2 for the year 1988, is amended by relettering subdivisions b
and c as subdivisions d and e, respectively, and by adding new
subdivisions b and c to read as follows:
b. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit owners,
operators, managers, employers or other persons having control
of any establishment subject to this chapter from adopting a smoke-free
policy which completely prohibits smoking on the premises of such
establishment at all times.
c. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require owners,
operators, managers, employers or other persons having control
of any establishment subject to this chapter to choose to construct
a separate smoking room, an enclosed room where smoking is permitted
or a solid floor-to-ceiling partition separating a restaurant
bar from the indoor dining area of a restaurant as the means of
complying with this chapter.
12. Section 17-513 of such code, as added by local law number
2 for the year 1988, is amended to read as follows:
17-513 [Regulations] Rules and report. a.
The commissioner shall promulgate rules [and regulations] in accordance
with the provisions contained in this chapter, and such other
rules [and regulations] as may be necessary for the purpose of
implementing and carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
b. The commissioner of the department of buildings in conjunction
with the commissioner of the department of environmental protection,
the commissioner of the fire department and the commissioner shall
study methods of and, if deemed appropriate, develop recommendations
with respect to preventing, to the greatest extent practicable,
second-hand smoke from drifting or recirculating from restaurant
bars to indoor smoke-free areas of restaurants. The study and
any recommendations of such commissioners shall include, but not
be limited to, the advisability of requiring restaurant bars to
construct or implement any of the following:
1. Separate smoking rooms.
2. Enclosed rooms.
3. Ventilation systems.
4. Separation of restaurant bar from indoor smoke-free areas by
means of a partition.
5. Spatial separation of restaurant bar from indoor smoke-free
areas by a specific distance.
In determining the advisability of requiring that certain protections
from second-hand smoke be provided in restaurant bars, the commissioners
shall consider any applicable standards or recommendations of
the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers, any applicable standards or recommendations of the
United States environmental protection agency and the occupational
safety and health administration of the United States department
of labor with respect to indoor air quality relating to second-hand
smoke, the impact on public health of exposure to second-hand
smoke and any other factors which such commissioners deem appropriate.
Such commissioners shall report to the council by January 1, 1996
regarding the results of the study required pursuant to this subdivision
and any recommendations.
13. Chapter 5 of title 17 of the code is amended by adding
a new section 17-514, to follow section 17-513, to read as follows:
17-514 Effective dates for separate smoking rooms. a.
Any person explicitly permitted to provide a separate smoking
room pursuant to paragraphs 1, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 15 of subdivision
a of section 17-503 and pursuant to section 17-504 who in good
faith considers the construction of such a room, shall have one
hundred fifty days from the effective date of this local law to
apply for any permits necessary to perform construction. During
the period of time from the effective date of the local law which
added this section until the expiration of such one hundred fifty-day
period, no provision of this local law, except for the provisions
of this section, shall apply to such person, but all provisions
of local law number 2 for the year 1988, as amended by local law
number 83 for the year 1992, shall continue to apply to such person.
b. If a person permitted to provide a separate smoking room pursuant
to this chapter applies for any permits necessary to perform construction
prior to the expiration of the one hundred fifty-day period set
forth in subdivision a of this section, no provision of this local
law, except for the provisions of this section, shall apply to
any such person, but all provisions of local law number 2 for
the year 1988, as amended by local law number 83 for the year
1992, shall continue to apply to such person until the earlier
of (i) the completion of any physical alteration of premises necessary
to provide a separate smoking room or (ii) one hundred eighty
days after the issuance of the final permits necessary to perform
construction.
c. If a person permitted to provide a separate smoking room
pursuant to this chapter fails to apply for any permits necessary
to perform construction prior to the expiration of the one hundred
fifty-day period set forth in subdivision a of this section, all
provisions of this local law shall apply to such person upon expiration
of such one hundred fifty-day period.
d. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions a, b and c of
this section, in no event shall any provision of this local law
take effect later than April 1, 1996.
14. This local law shall take effect ninety days after its
enactment. Actions necessary to prepare for the
implementation of this local law may be taken prior to its effective
date.