Don’t let Oakland fire happen in Brooklyn, Lentol says
Lawmaker pushes bill to crack down on SLA licenses
The devastating warehouse fire in Oakland that took the lives of 36 people should lead to major changes in the way New York state oversees parties in large venues, according to Assemblymember Joseph Lentol, who called on his legislative colleagues to vote for his bill aimed at preventing tragedies like California inferno from happening here.
The bill, which Lentol (D-North Brooklyn) introduced during the last legislative session and plans to bring up again, seeks to amend New York state’s alcoholic beverage control law to put in more requirements for the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) to uphold when they are considering issuing a temporary alcohol permit.
Under the bill, the SLA would be required to determine whether the premises where such parties, concerts and other large-scale functions would take place could endanger public safety. The determination would be made by consulting with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and local fire, police and buildings departments, Lentol said.