NYC’s new bed bug bill

[We lost data over the weekend and some pages, posts and comments were lost. This was posted December 6.]

We will be monitoring and updating developments on Intro 873, the bill introduced in the New York City Council on November 19, on this page.

The bill would require the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene:

1. create a bed bug control training program for:
   • pest control providers, and
   • property owners;
2. make available bed bug information on its website; and
3. establish a bed bug toll-free hotline, like 311, to report bed bug infestations and request bed bug control information.

Check back for updates. We’ll track the bill’s progress, who supports it, who opposes it and who needs to be persuaded to consider it.

Please weigh in if you have thoughts. We want to hear from everyone.

Thanks!

And, since the above was written, my colleagues Jessica and Nobugs have weighed in on the bill:

12/6: Chicago vs Bed Bugs – New York City’s New Bed Bug Bill

[M]ost cities or states don’t have specific training and certification programs for [pest management companies] to learn how to treat bed bug infestations properly.

And they should.

This is because bed bug infestations are extremely difficult to treat. Bed bugs, you see, are not like any other pests, for many reasons. You can’t just set off a bug bomb and get rid of bed bugs, because that will just make them scatter through your walls and into another room (or your neighbor’s apartment!). And you can’t just haphazardly spray a bunch of pesticides around the bedroom and get rid of bed bugs, either, because their eggs will hatch in a week or two and you’ll end up with bed bugs all over again. You can’t throw out your mattress and get rid of them, you can’t vacuum till you fall over and get rid of them, and you can’t launder every stitch of clothing you own and get rid of them.

12/8: Bedbugger – New York City has a new bed bug bill!

The bill does not go into a lot of detail on these steps, for example, I’d love to know more how these training programs will be carried out. It’s essential that the best advice and bed bug expertise will be sought in creating and implementing them.

No other reports or press releases have been filed anywhere.

These pages may be of related interest:

1. The New York City Council tries again: a new bed bug bill
2. Mayor will sign bed bug advisory board bill on March 18
3. The new Butterfield bill
4. New Jersey bed bug bill out of committee
5. Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite Act of 2008: a bill in the US Congress