March Meeting Report
Submitted by the Rensselaer County Legislature Office of the Minority
Environment
The Minority Office submitted a resolution supporting the NYS Expanded Bottle Bill to include additional beverage containers, such as sports drinks, iced teas, wine and liquor, as well as dairy products. The resolution was rejected by the Republican Majority.
Opioid Settlement
After declaring the opioid epidemic a public health crisis in 2018, Rensselaer County, in concert with other counties, initiated a lawsuit against three opioid distributors. An agreement for a settlement was reached with a second manufacturer and the legislature unanimously approved a resolution to accept funds from this lawsuit as restitution for its expenses resulting from the opioid epidemic. This litigation is by no way final, as other distributors may still be litigated.
Health
The legislature authorized the Health Department to purchase and replenish PCR testing kits for 58 county school buildings to assist in the rapid identification and monitoring of COVID-19. This purchase is 100% grant funded and will help schools maintain in-person learning and support prevention strategies to curtail the spread.