A new law signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo bans smoking in home-based day care centers.
The law signed Monday requires facilities licensed or registered for child care services to comply with the smoking ban even when children are not present. Operators and residents of home-based day care centers had previously been permitted to smoke outside of their hours of operation.
Advocates say the law will protect young children from second-hand smoke and from residual contamination from cigarette smoke that can linger on surfaces for many days.
Cuomo said the law will "protect children from this public health hazard and the life-long misery that comes with it."
© 2018 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.