New York State Senator Craig M. Johnson, (D-Port Washington), recently announced the passage of legislation to protect children by severely limiting their exposure to substances that could trigger severe - and possibly deadly - allergic reactions in schools.

The Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2007, (S298-A), which Johnson co-sponsored, was approved in the Senate June 21 by a unanimous vote.

The measure mandates the adoption of statewide procedures that would limit exposure to foods and environmental conditions that in some children could cause anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that causes breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure and shock, among other ailments.

Approximately 100 deaths each year are attributed to these types of allergic reactions, said Johnson.

"Many parents of children who face these difficulties have taken great pains to make their homes as safe as possible, only to live in fear each time their sons or daughters step onto the school bus," said Johnson, who first tackled this issue as a member of the Nassau County Legislature. "This legislation will be able to offer the safe environment that our children need and the peace of mind that their parents deserve."

Under this bill, schools will also be required to have individualized plans for each child with severe food allergies, and appropriate school employees will receive the training needed to treat a child overcome with severe allergic reactions.

The bill has also been passed in the Assembly.

New York State Senator Craig M. Johnson, (D-Port Washington), blasted members of the Senate Republican Majority for pushing through brownfield legislation (S.6323) June 21 that is essentially a giveaway to polluters disguised as a reform bill.

If this legislation becomes law, it would make active sites that are subjected to a state or federal cleanup order eligible for tax credits under the state Brownfields Cleanup Program - creating situations where the state would provide assistance to polluting companies for remediation that a judge has ordered them to perform.

"This legislation is using our tax dollars to reward bad and irresponsible behavior," said Johnson, ranking member of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. "If I supported this, I would be breaking the promise I made to the people of Nassau County to fight for tax relief and to make sure that their money is used in a fiscally responsible way."

Johnson said this bill also violates the spirit of the Brownfield Program, which is intended to make abandoned and environmentally contaminated land suitable for redevelopment.

Furthermore, Johnson said he was perplexed that this "reform" legislation failed to address the program's current tax credit structure, which is seen by many to be its most significant flaw.

Tax credits are currently earned based on development and remediation costs, but location is not taken into account. This has resulted in massive tax credits going to development sites in Manhattan, to the detriment of other parts of the state.

"Left unchecked, the overly generous tax credits for redevelopment of brownfield sites could bankrupt the State of New York," The New York Public Interest Research Group wrote in its opposition memorandum for S.6323. "They must be adjusted to leverage limited state resources to assist those projects for which economic stimulus is most needed, particularly redevelopment of sites in areas that might not get redeveloped without such assistance."

Johnson said much of the program's structural problems could be fixed under a real brownfield reform bill, (S.6177), that is sponsored by Senator Antoine M. Thompson, (D-Buffalo).

The Senate Majority, however, has blocked this legislation from a floor vote.