Clean Indoor Air Act

E-Cigs: In Tompkins County, the following information also applies to indoor use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) and other electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS). Click here for information on Tompkins County law with respect to indoor use of ENDS.

The New York State Expanded Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA)

The CIAA prohibits smoking tobacco products in all places of employment, including bars and restaurants. The CIAA is an employee safety measure meant to eliminate indoor exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke by all employees. There are no exceptions to the law in places of employment.

• Text: Click here for Text of the NYS CIAA §1399 (PDF, 80KB)
• Local: Tompkins County’s 2003 clean indoor air law, Chapter 72-6 of the County Code (opens eCode360 site)

Compliance with the Smokefree Workplace law will be achieved in two ways:
(1) employer or manager oversight,
(2) complaints filed by employees or other members of the public.

How to file a complaint:

All complaints will be handled confidentially and may be reported to the Environmental Health Division of the Tompkins County Health Department at (607) 274-6688.
To file a complaint online, click here.

Management enforcement

• The owner, manager, operator or another person having control of an indoor area open to the public, food service establishment, bar, or place of employment under this Act will post appropriate signage and will inform or designate an employee to be responsible for informing individuals smoking that they are in violation of the Act.

Employee or public enforcement

• Enforcement of the Act also will be achieved by a complaint system. Employees and the public may confidentially report violations of the law to their local health departments or district health office. In Tompkins County, call the Environmental Health division at 274-6688.

Non-compliance

• If a workplace manager or supervisor fails to comply with the Act, an employee or member of the public may contact the Tompkins County Health Department to file a complaint.
• If an employee, customer or other member of the public refuses to comply with the Act, use common sense. The purpose of the Act is to protect others from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. DO NOT CALL the police unless the violator is threatening physical harm or is belligerent.

ATUPA Violations

THE Adolescent Tobacco Use Prevention Act (ATUPA) was passed to stop sales of tobacco products to minors. Click here for a list of businesses that have violated this law by selling to minors, and more information about the law.

Updates