New York, NY – New York State Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF, Manhattan) announced that her legislation requiring landlords to disclose to prospective tenants any history of bedbug infestation in the apartment building and individual unit within the past year was signed into law by Governor Paterson today.

“New York City tenants have been living in fear of bedbugs, and I am excited to offer them this new protection,” said Assemblymember Rosenthal. “Nothing is more horrifying than signing a lease after a lengthy apartment search only to discover that your new apartment is bedbug-infested. By requiring landlords to disclose infestations before the lease is signed, people will have a means of guarding themselves against exposure to this plague.”

New York City has been the epicenter of a recent explosion of these bloodsucking insects. Nearly 11,000 calls about bedbugs were made to 311 in 2009, compared with 537 in 2004. Confirmed infestations have also increased in New York City to 4,084 last year from 82 six years ago. A pest control company recently ranked New York City the most infested city nationwide.

Bedbugs have not only struck residential buildings; in recent weeks they have been spotted in movie theaters, government offices, high-end clothing stores and the Empire State Building.

“It seems clear that bedbugs are here to stay, and I am determined to find new tools to fight this war,” said Rosenthal. “I have also introduced a companion bill to create a state tax credit that victims can use to recoup costs expended on the furniture, bedding, clothing and other belongings that must be replaced because of bedbug damage. We need to find solutions for New York’s small business owners whose livelihoods are threatened when bedbugs are found in their stores.”

The law is effective immediately. In the Senate, the bill was sponsored by Senator Jose Peralta.