Ilya Marritz
Ilya Marritz covers business for WNYC.
New Laws Target Domestic Violence, Electronic Cigarettes, and Beer
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
A raft of new laws take effect January 1 in New York State, addressing a range of issues from business contracts to the health care system.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
At times, people in abusive relationships avoid doctors and hospitals because they don't want their abuser to see their medical bills. A new law allows the victim to receive medical correspondence at an alternate address - like a friend's house, or a shelter.
ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES
Smokeless e-cigarettes are increasingly popular, but the health risks are unclear because they haven't been studied much. It is now illegal to sell e-cigarettes to people under age 18.
GREEN ENERGY, CRAFT BREWERS, AND PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
Homeowners are already exempted from state taxes when they buy and install solar panels. Now the same tax privileges apply to businesses wishing to go green.
Following complaints by micro-brewers, the law has been relaxed to make it easier for them to break contracts with distributors.
State colleges and universities, which are burdened by rising healthcare costs, can now act as insurance providers to their enrolled students, thereby saving money.
Comments [2]
Kids shouldn't smoke and shouldn't be allowed to buy e-cigarettes. If you don't smoke - don't start.
If you are an adult and do smoke - we respect your right to use nicotine vaporizers.
There has never been a better time to switch to electronic cigarettes. http://www.savecig.com
I am the owner of an e cigarette company and anyone with any common sense knows not to sell them to minors. My business has been around for a little more than a year and the biggest part of my sales go to retail stores for resale and all of my customers know not to sell them to minors.
E cigarettes have not been studied much, but the studies that have been completed does not find anything wrong with them . Cigarettes on the other hand have nothing but bad findings.
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