Spitzer Signs Rivera’s Anti-Asthma Bills as Disease Rates Continue to Rise Across State

NEW YORK, NY (09/06/2007)(readMedia)-- With over three million children across New York heading back to school, Governor Eliot Spitzer has signed into law two significant pieces of legislation to help combat New York’s nation topping asthma rates. The legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera and Senators Andrew Lanza and Martin Golden will help combat rising levels of pediatric asthma by preventing the idling of school vehicles on school grounds (A.8486B/S.5973B) and by requiring schools with nurses to maintain an asthma nebulizer on site for chronic asthmatic children. Over 2.3 million are being exposed daily to toxic exhaust generated by diesel powered school buses and thousands more are forced to leave school and go to Emergency Rooms or back home for access to asthma medication that can easily be given at school.

According to Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera, “While we might not be able to cure this disease, we can most definitely help reduce the environmental triggers and help the children with acute asthma access their medication while in school. This new law clearly addresses the notion that sick children can not learn and takes steps to provide them with a healthier school environment.”

Senator Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) the bills Senate sponsor said, “As President Kennedy once noted, ‘we all breathe the same air’. It is our responsibility to ensure that air is clean. This is an important step in reducing the pollutants that cause a variety of diseases including asthma.”

"The dangers of exposing our children to toxic diesel exhaust have been well documented. Today we are a step closer to better protecting our children's health by banning idling of school vehicles outside school buildings. New York's astronomically high rates of pediatric asthma have prompted this new law and I urge the Commissioner of Education to swiftly use these new powers to mandate that all school districts immediately ban all idling outside school grounds." stated Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera (D-Bronx), sponsor and author of the no-idling law.

“Public hearings on these issues, community protests and strong advocacy efforts have focused the legislature on the problem of idling buses and the need for nebulizers in our schools. It is ridiculous to continue school policies that rely on sending severely asthmatic children home or to emergency rooms to have them access medication that can easily be dispensed by a school nurse,” declared Rivera.

Senator Marty Golden (R-Brooklyn), the bill's Senate sponsor, stated, "This important legislation (A.4588B/S6074A) will require every public school with a nurse, to have asthma nebulizers to aid in the medical treatment of thousands of New York's school children. Almost one in every thirteen school children suffer from asthma, a serious problem in our City and State, and that is why we had to address it now. We need to provide the very best care for our children so that they can be treated in school, limiting hospital visits and reducing the amount of school time interruption."

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