Joint Health and Legislation Committee Meeting – July 27, 2026
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Joint Health and Legislation Committee Meeting – July 27, 2026
On July 27, 2026, the Westchester County Board of Legislators' Health and Legislation committees held a joint meeting (starting at approximately 1:25 PM and adjourning at 1:43 PM) to discuss and vote on a local law and related public hearing resolution concerning flavored nicotine vapor products. The meeting, chaired by Legislator Jewel Williams Johnson (participating remotely) and Vice Chair Imamura, included presentations from the Law Department and votes to amend and approve both items.
Discussion Items
Amendments to Local Law 2026-213 and Public Hearing Resolution 2026-212
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Law Department presentation: Assistant Chief Deputy County Attorney Justin Adin explained revisions to the proposed local law (2026-213) and public hearing resolution (2026-212). Key changes:
- Expanded the law to cover both flavored nicotine vapor products and camouflage (flavored) e-cigarette/vaping products.
- Used the phrase "individual packages or packets" to clarify the possession threshold.
- Established a rebuttable presumption of intent to sell for possession of four or more of either category, consistent with other jurisdictions (e.g., New York City, California).
- Fixed minor grammatical issues.
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Enforcement clarification: Legislator Barr asked about enforcement mechanism. Mr. Adin confirmed that the Westchester County Department of Health (and ultimately the Board of Health) would enforce, with review available via Article 78. The rebuttable presumption shifts the burden to the possessor to prove the products are only for out-of-state sale, but does not grant inspectors access to back rooms beyond current authority.
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Legislator positions and additional context:
- Legislator Imamura commended Legislator Williams Johnson for her work and expressed pride in supporting the legislation.
- Legislator Williams Johnson noted that a separate draft for a permitting/licensing process had been submitted, emphasizing that the Department of Health has indicated licensing is critical for effective enforcement. She expressed hope to move forward on that next step.
- The committee acknowledged that the current law addresses only the rebuttable presumption and that broader enforcement options (e.g., licensing) require further research and discussion.
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Minutes approval: The committees approved the minutes from the July 13, 2026, meeting.
Key Outcomes
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Motion to amend the local law (2026-213) was approved unanimously by both committees:
- Legislation Committee: Ayes – Vice Chair Imamura, Legislator Barr, Legislator Nolan, Legislator Puja, Chairman Gashi, Minority Leader Cunzio (6-0).
- Health Committee: Ayes – Chair Williams Johnson, Legislator Barr, Legislator Imamura, Legislator Pierce, Chairman Gashi (5-0). Absent: Legislator Ulaj.
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Motion to amend the public hearing resolution (2026-212) to reflect the new title was approved unanimously by both committees (same votes).
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Final votes on both items as amended (2026-212 and 2026-213):
- Legislation Committee: 6-0 in favor.
- Health Committee: 5-0 in favor.
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The items were signed by committee and referred to the full Board of Legislators with a due back date of August 4, 2026.
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The meeting adjourned at 1:43 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah, I can have the pocket. I just have the meeting is being recorded and summarized. We don't have the system. No committee report just saw one page. Okay, we're on. We're live. Okay. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to legislation part two today. Um I will uh call a roll for legislation. Um I am here. Committee vice chair and memorial here. Uh board by uh board vice chair clemence. Uh minority leader cunzla. Legislator barr? Yeah. Legislator no one? Yeah. Legislator Puja. Here. Legislator Uli. And Chairman Gashi. Yeah. Okay. We are uh we have started at 125 p.m. And we're going to open up health. And um I will call the role Chair Willis Johnson. Um I'm here. Legislator Ignamora. Here Pierce. Yeah. Right. And we are open at when you 25. All right. So um we have for today um two items or same item on for discussion. And one is the uh setting a public hearing and one is the local law. This is item number 2026 212 and 213. Um setting uh a public hearing for local law, which would amend the laws of Westchester County to establish a rebuttable presumption in regards to the possession of flavored nicotine vapor products in the town of Westchester, and uh with us today to to talk about this uh public this local law. We have uh law department you'd like to join us at the uh table and just say your name and uh office would uh record just me, assistant chief deputy county attorney. Thank you for joining us, and I'll note that uh we're also joined uh by chairwoman um committee Jewel Williams Johnson online and so you I open the floor to uh the law department. So we were here last time um on this and the camouflage um fate law discussion that the committees wanted to add to the rebuttable presumption, um possession of the camouflage vape products as well, uh similar to what we were already what we're already before the board for flavor vape products, so we did um provide and you should have in front of you um revisions to the local law. Uh the substantive revisions are highlighted. There are some commas and other little minor myths that we also fixed in that um but we want to run through those, make sure the committees were good with these changes, and then there we all have to tweak if so we'll have to tweak the resolution for public hearing as well to reflect in the name of the law um since this is no longer just labor vape. So one of the changes is changing the title agency highlighted to possession of certain vapor products because it's now two different categories. Um then we've added in uh that language. Now there was also discussion last time about whether to use packages or packets to refer to the flavored vape products. Um we figured the easy we just voice to refer to both, so we have that change in here. Um possession of four or more individual packages or packets. Uh we added in the last sentence on the rebuttable presumption for the camouflage e-cigarette um or vaping products. Uh we did in here mirror the same possession of four or more. Um we feel that you know just maybe it makes sense.
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