East Hampton mulls plastic straw, e-cig, handbill rules

East Hampton Village officials are considering three separate proposals that would ban vaping and smoking in public, limit the distribution of free magazines and cut down on the use of plastic straws in the village.

A law regulating waste in the village would be amended to include the distribution of “handbills” — defined as any printed materials including free magazines — so the items could only be distributed at public places when a manager or owner was there to accept them. Some shop owners have said the proliferation of magazines on the East End, where there is fierce competition for advertising dollars among publishers, has become a nuisance.

Another proposed law would prohibit the distribution of plastic straws unless specifically requested. Violators would be subject to a $1,000 fine.

A third proposed law would prohibit smoking and vaping on any public property in the village. Under current village law, smoking is only prohibited at Main Beach Pavilion and within 50 feet of the playground at Herrick Park.

Three public hearings on those matters will be held on Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. at the village’s emergency services building at One Cedar Lane.