“Politicians won’t let the bed bugs bite” |
| Politicians won’t let the bed bugs bite Posted: 05 Sep 2010 11:26 AM PDT State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) and Assemblyman Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria) are using their political power to fight bedbugs. On Tuesday, both announced the passage of new laws targeting the pesky insects. Gianaris hopes to make the school year a little more pleasant for families with his Bed Bug Notification Law, requiring school health officials to alert parents should bedbugs be discovered on school grounds. Peralta's legislation requires property owners and landlords within New York City to disclose infestation history to potential tenants. New Yorkers have grown increasingly concerned over the alarming increase in bedbug infestations in the city in recent years. Since the insects are notoriously difficult to exterminate, infestations often have a serious emotional and financial impact. "Bedbugs have become an insidious nuisance for renters throughout the state because landlords oftentimes do not disclose infestations. Tenants have the right to know if the apartment or house they are renting was previously occupied by bedbugs," Peralta said in a statement. Gianaris first proposed his legislation in 2007, after a surge in cases of bedbugs in western Queens schools, left 11 elementary and middle schools in District 30 alone reporting incidents. Before the Bed Bug Notification Law, if a bedbug was found, typically only the family of the affected child was notified, Gianaris said. "The spread of bedbugs in our city has reached epidemic proportions and has destroyed the quality of life of too many New Yorkers," said Gianaris in a statement. "I am pleased the governor's approval will empower parents to take the necessary steps to stop bedbugs in their tracks." Though bedbugs do not pose serious health risks, they leave itchy, red marks on the skin. Bedbugs usually dwell in mattresses but can also be found under carpets, in walls and in other furniture around the home. Queens has the second lowest incidence of infestation in the five boroughs.
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