Comments on: Gianaris’ Bedbug Legislation Passes

By: jessinchicago

jessinchicago — Thu, 10 May 2007 21:54:26 +0000

Hi Anon-

If you type in “Gianaris” in the search field on the right side of the front page, you’ll find several posts on this topic that will get you up to speed.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 10 May 2007 19:11:40 +0000

policy notifying all parents whose children attend a bedbug-infested school of the infestation and providing them with information.

my query is a child attending a bug-infested school - does that include one child telling a teacher his home has bbs and maybe he/she brought one into the school? or does the entire school have to be infested in the walls, halls, etc.? i know with politics wording is everything.

any insights?

By: Bugalina

Bugalina — Thu, 10 May 2007 15:26:43 +0000

Well to save paper, they can email those homes who are web interactive. I just don’t want to give them any excuses not to expose the bed bug truth in their schools. Its only my opinion but I think, even if this legislation is passed, there will be a tremendous hesitance on the part of schools to disclose the truth. Having sent my kid through the public system here on Long Island, I learned a whole about the ways in which schools try to cover things up…and deny things. This is no time for giving them any excuses. Parents have the right to know if their kids are being exposed to bed bugs..on the buses and in the classrooms. This is not a pleasant situation, but the truth must be told. As for the alert…its really a moot point…one bed bug can mean that their is another, or hundreds more…the sighting of only one is enough to be concerned.

By: hymenoptera

hymenoptera — Thu, 10 May 2007 15:02:56 +0000

Teachers living in waterfront homes aside in this case we are talking about NYC thats what the bill is about. If the law is enacted it can not be accomplished via e - mail in terms of legality as not all homes are web interactive.
Perhaps they can set a bed bug threat level much like our terror threat index.

By: Bugalina

Bugalina — Thu, 10 May 2007 14:20:50 +0000

I too have thought about the cable boxes…As for teachers having to buy their own paper. Not so in my neighborhood. Teachers here live in waterfront homes, not all, but a decent amount. Our budget always passes…but this is not Queens. However, I don’t think the lack of funding for paper notices should stand in the way of notifying parents… There is always Email…..Or the PTA’s can organize a telephone campaign, in other words, there are creative ways to notify parents if the schools try and use paper bugets as an excuse. This is a moral issue, as I see it , it is an awful, egregious act, to not tell parents or the community about a bed bug infestaion is the schools…People must be told, hard as it is to do so, they must be told. Those of us who have lived with bed bug infestations know how awful it would be if we were invited to a person’s home and they had an active bed bug infestation and we were not made aware of it. Well, the same holds true of a school. This is the result of bad management all across the board…the City has mismanaged this bed bug epidemic and now they have to pay the price….To not notify parents is immoral…If the schools need paper, I will donate some..

By: lieutenantdan

lieutenantdan — Thu, 10 May 2007 14:02:16 +0000

I was just thinking about the unions such as the teacher’s union and the NYC sanitation union. They must be receiving word from their members regarding bed bug infestations.
You can bet that the sanitation workers who haul all of the bed bug infested beds and furniture are becoming infested. A few months ago I past by a small local firehouse and
I saw what must of been all of the stations furniture sitting at the curb.
As all of you probably have done I made up a list of how we may have become infested.
I keep suspecting our cable box that we upgraded to may have been sitting in someones infested bedroom prior to us receiving it. Who knows?

By: hymenoptera

hymenoptera — Thu, 10 May 2007 11:55:42 +0000

134 - 0 in any house is an accomplishment this means only 16 folks
did not vote which would have made it unanimous but it is a mom and
apple pie type of bill when simply put who is going to come out against it.
The senate on the other hand will have to get more into the education
funding aspect of it and responsibly so will have to look at money issues.
With school budgets what they are and teachers having to buy their own
paper at times, on whose paper will these thousands of notices go out on.
And what will the notice say. But Jess is quite right this is a victory and
knowledge is one of the best weapons we have.

Regarding mattresses in the night if they are moving it out because of bed bugs
thats a good thing. Hey this day in age if I was a hotel moving a mattress out for any reason I would do it at night, least someone see it and get and spread the wrong idea.

By: Bugalina

Bugalina — Thu, 10 May 2007 03:57:33 +0000

I think we should all call or email our Senators….Can anyone make suggestions?? Also , for those who administer the Blog…Is it possible that our Blog can be represented under the umbrella of one group and we could send a group message to the NY Senate ???? This is so important…if the Senate votes it down it just proves how they don’t want this problem “uncovered”…..Hymenoptera actually gives us an insight as to why they might vote it down…because they are at a loss to give any viable solutions… ….We have to make noise and let them know that we will not sit quietly and let bed bug legislation get voted down….We must unite and let them know that we will are sick and tired of their denial…and coverups about the horrors of bed bugs…

By: wantmyskinback

wantmyskinback — Thu, 10 May 2007 03:48:22 +0000

Nomo….I also wonder exactly “What they are going to say in these notices” ? But it’s a start….James Buggles: re mattresses being removed at night at the Marriott… it could be for many reasons. Lots and Lots of things happen in hotel rooms…not just BEDBUGS! Let’s hope anyway.

By: jessinchicago

jessinchicago — Thu, 10 May 2007 01:45:32 +0000

Yes, I loved the vote, too. And yes, Hymenoptera, you’re correct, the bill will now go to the Senate for approval, where, I hope, the members will see the clear need to vote for its passage as, obviously, ALL the members of the Assembly did.

I think we should relish in this moment, guys. Yes, there are still obstacles- some of which seem insurmountable at this point. But this is the first positive step towards better public knowledge and government acknowledgement of the bedbug epidemic in NYC. It’s huge. No matter what, more people will be exposed to the publicity that’s sure to be generated by this bill. Hey, this is what we’ve been waiting for! Yes, it’s a small step, but at least it’s a step.

In the world of bedbugs, we’re accustomed to bad news. Lots of it, day in and day out. Let’s savor this good news, at least for today?