NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A54B
SPONSOR: Epstein TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public buildings law, in relation to prohibiting the
use of adhesive-based rodent traps in state-owned or state-leased build-
ings
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 provides definitions and prohibits the use of adhesive based
traps in state owned or leased buildings
Section 2 provides the effective date
JUSTIFICATION:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends against the
use of glue traps, since rodents who are caught in them are likely to
urinate, defecate, or bleed which may contain germs that expose humans
to diseases. By discontinuing their use in state-owned or leased build-
ings we lower the risk to state employees of contracting zoonotic
diseases transmitted by rodents like hantavirus and leptospirosis, which
can be fatal in humans.
Dozens of businesses and government agencies have already stopped using
glue traps because they are unsanitary and dangerous to humans. For
example: New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the NYPD, State
University of New York at New Paltz, Fashion Institute of Technology,
New York, University at Albany, State University of New York, GAP, Old
Navy, Home Depot, Family Dollar.
Glue traps have been proven to be less effective than other methods of
rodent capture, like snap trapping. A study conducted by the University
of Nebraska found that snap traps captured a total of 54 mice per 96
traps for a total capture rate of 56.2% while glue traps captured four
mice for a total capture rate of 8.3%. Glue traps are also often exposed
to dust, humidity, and temperature changes, rendering the adhesive inef-
fective.
Glue traps are an outdated, less effective, and potentially harmful form
of pest control. There are better alternatives that are as or more
economical. For the reasons, glue traps should no longer be used in
state-owned or leased property.
FISCAL IMPACT :
To be determined.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
23-24 A04785A/S 6314-A died in economic development / DIED IN CONSUMER
PROTECTION 2021-22: S9533
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
54--B
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN, GALLAGHER, LEVENBERG, ROSENTHAL, MAMDA-
NI, BORES, SIMON, HEVESI, BURDICK, CONRAD, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, KAY, ROME-
RO, LUPARDO, SHIMSKY -- read once and referred to the Committee on
Economic Development -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again
amended on third reading, ordered reprinted, retaining its place on
the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the public buildings law, in relation to prohibiting the
use of adhesive-based rodent traps in state-owned or state-leased
buildings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public buildings law is amended by adding a new section
2 148 to read as follows:
3 § 148. Adhesive-based rodent traps; prohibition. 1. For the purposes
4 of this section, "adhesive-based trap" shall mean any device that is
5 designed or is capable of being used to capture a rodent by means of an
6 adhesive substance, including devices commonly known as glue traps, glue
7 boards, and any similar rodent trap.
8 2. Beginning one year after the effective date of this section and
9 thereafter, no adhesive-based trap shall be set, placed or used to
10 capture or destroy a rat, mouse or other rodent in any state-owned or
11 state-leased building.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
13 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00528-04-5
