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Protect Local Control ^ | March 18, 2005

[SheLion]

	March 18, 2005 Preemption Watch Weekly Summary of New U.S. State Bills (3-18-05) In the continued fight to prevent preemptive legislation before it can be passed and to overturn preemption in states where it is already in place, ANR is tracking pending legislation relating to states' smokefree air policies. Not all state bills relating to smokefree air are preemptive, however a bill can become preemptive at any point in the legislative process. It is therefore important to track even the best bills throughout the entire legislative session. Below is a listing of state bills that have been introduced in state legislatures.  Please visit the home page of www.protectlocalcontrol.org and click on the state of your choice to view the summary, text, and status of pending bills. Please email ANR with any new information regarding pending legislation and preemption attempts in your state and we will analyze and summarize the legislation. __________________________________________________________ The new and pending legislative bills are classified below into five categories to more clearly delineate which bills will protect public health and should be supported from those that are should be opposed because they do not effectively protect public health, weaken a strong law, or intend to preempt local control. Bills that were introduced or changed status this past week are in bold. Strong: Bill includes 100% smokefree workplaces and/or restaurants and/or bars. Weak: Bill includes ventilation, smoking rooms, or other key exemptions. Weakens: Bill weakens a current strong 100% smokefree law. Preemptive: Bill contains preemptive language that removes the right to local control. Other: Bills contain other provisions and should be watched. · The following states have strong bills that include 100% smokefree workplaces and/or restaurants and/or bars; OR repeals preemption: Alabama: SB413 (restaurants and bars) Arkansas: HB1883 (restaurants)—Passed by House Rules Committee Connecticut: HB5067 (bingo) District of Columbia: B16-0187 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars), B16-0193 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars) Georgia: HB426 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars) Illinois: HB672 (repeals preemption)—Passed out of committee, SB254 (repeals preemption)—Passed Health and Human Services Committee Iowa: HF71 (restaurants and bars); SF70 (repeals preemption); SSB1137 (repeals preemption) Maine: LD160 (bingo/gambling/clubs), LD886 (workplaces) Maryland: HB428 / SB332 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars)—SB332 Defeated in Committee Minnesota: SF404 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars;  HF412 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars) Nebraska: LB480 (workplaces and restaurants)—Passed out of Committee, Sponsor's priority bill New Mexico: HB354 (workplaces and restaurants)—Sent to Senate, amended and passed Judiciary Committee North Carolina: H76 (restaurants) North Dakota: SB2300 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars)—Passed out of Senate and sent to House committee Oregon: SB544 (repeals preemption and 100% restaurants); HB2496 (repeals preemption and 100% restaurants) Rhode Island: HB659 (bars) South Carolina: S374 (repeals preemption) Vermont: HB91 (restaurants and bars); HB421 (restaurants and bars) Washington: SB5592 / HB1714 (restaurants and bars) · The following states have weak bills that include ventilation, smoking rooms, or other key exemptions: Arkansas: HB1390, SB1122 Georgia: SB90 (workplaces, restaurants, and bars)—Passed Senate, Amended, and passed House Committee Indiana: HB1202—Amended and passed out of committee Iowa: SF1 Kansas: HB2495 Kentucky: HB104 New Jersey: S1926 / A3424—Amended and passed Senate Committee,  A3730/ A3975 Tennessee: SB44 / HB1693, SB46 / HB1692 Washington: HB1109, HB1253 West Virginia: SB113 · The following states have bills that weaken a current strong law: Connecticut: HB5801, HB5138, HB6856 Florida: S1348, H1237 Idaho: S1001, S1023—Sent to Governor for approval; SCR109A—approved by Senate, sent to House Minnesota: SF0108 New York: S74, S1123, S1256, A5677, S2370 North Carolina: SB482 / HB628 Rhode Island: HB5020, HB5314 · The following states have preemptive bills: Kentucky: HB81, SB88 Maryland: HB1419 Minnesota: HF564 / SF560 Montana: HB661—Passed House and sent to Senate, HB643—Reinstated, amended, and passed House committee Nebraska: LB730 Tennessee: SB45 / HB1686 Washington: HB1670 / SB5909—Heading to Senate Floor West Virgina: SB46 · The following states have other provisions and should be watched: Alabama: SB412 Arkansas: HB1193—Approved as Act 134, HB2056—Failed, HB2684 California: AB616 Connecticut: HB6186 Florida: S7034—Amended in committee; S1308—Passed Regulated Industries Committee and sent to Commerce Committee  Hawaii: HB1394, SB1468—Passed Senate and sent to House Illinois: HB1516, HB1518 Indiana: HB1428—Passed out of Committee Kentucky: HB515 Nebraska: LB6—Placed on general file, LB305—Placed on general file, LB613—Amended to include provisions of LB604 Nevada: AB118 New York: A420a North Carolina: S1, H239 North Dakota: SB2307 Oregon: SB494 Rhode Island: SB937 South Carolina: S351 Washington: SB5114

[SheLion]

Sneaky lawmakers working behind our back!

[SheLion]

[TexasCowboy]

Thank you, SheLion, for the info.

This doesn't touch the laws created by the cities themselves to outlaw smoking.
Within the next five years, there won't be a major city in Texas which allows smoking in any public place, whether it be outside or inside, and I predict laws will be created to outlaw smoking in your automobile.
It will be the same as the seat belt laws. If a LEO sees anyone smoking in their car, it will be an automatic ticket for air pollution.

I see no end in sight.

[Gabz]

The words I have for ANR and their ilk are not fit to print on this forum.

I notice they didn't include the devastating defeat they were handed in Virginia.......I guess they are still reeling from the embarrassment.

[SheLion]

This doesn't touch the laws created by the cities themselves to outlaw smoking.
Within the next five years, there won't be a major city in Texas which allows smoking in any public place, whether it be outside or inside, and I predict laws will be created to outlaw smoking in your automobile.
It will be the same as the seat belt laws. If a LEO sees anyone smoking in their car, it will be an automatic ticket for air pollution.

Oh well. What the hell....................

I see no end in sight.

I can see an end in site for the states to not receiving the big bucks from the Tobacco Settlement money which is being paid for by the smokers though.  Wonder what the states will do THEN?

[TexasCowboy]

Well, I don't know about the rest of the States, but Texas is already preparing for that.

The public is getting psychologically prepared for a state income tax, which we have never had.

Socialism marches on.....

[SheLion]

Well, I don't know about the rest of the States, but Texas is already preparing for that.

Well, no worry here.  The anti's have seen  to it that Maine is SMOKE FREE!  Bet they love our MONEY though. The pukes!

[SheLion]

[TexasCowboy]

I don't doubt it for a second!

And I don't know of a damn thing we can do about it!

I'm glad I have my hermit dwelling about ready to occupy.

[SheLion]

And I don't know of a damn thing we can do about it!

There was nothing that could be done in the state of Maine.  It's just a blue state being run by a bunch of idiots that just want tax money from smokers!

     

     

      

  

[TexasCowboy]

It's so comforting to go into the little country store/bar/grocery store/hardware store in the little community of Rock Island, Texas.

The lady behind the bar is smoking, the cashier is smoking, the grocery shoppers are smoking, and I can sit at a table and have a cup of coffee and SMOKE if I want to without getting dirty looks from ANYONE!

I'll spend the rest of my days there, and the antis can shove it where the sun don't shine!

[Mears]

My idea of heaven,drinking coffee,smoking, reading the paper,and socializing.

Can't do it here in Massachusetts anymore and I sure do miss my daily breakfasts out.

If I ever get to Texas again I'll stop and spend some money in Rock Island.

[Gabz]

My idea of heaven,drinking coffee,smoking, reading the paper,and socializing.

I'm not much of a breakfast person, but the place I had breakfast this morning is a definite throw back. It has a counter and it has tables, and nearly everyone knows everyon and chit chat flies back and forth...........and no one that is smoking gets a dirty look....in fact they're told to grab their coffee and ashtray and join folks at a table if they happen to be alone.

Heck even the Republicans get along with the democrats....well sort of - but the insults were all good natured, even those coming from my group of Republican women!!!!

[TexasCowboy]

You'll have to look close when you're going through or you'll miss it.

The little combo store has two gas pumps outside, and they're the old fashioned kind.
There's a giant oak tree right beside the store.

When you walk in you'll think you've stepped back in time about fifty years. The woman behind the bar will actually smile and say, "hello", to you and you can sit at a table with a checkerboard cover and have a cup of coffee and TALK and SMOKE, like we used to!

Thank God! I love it!

[TexasCowboy]

"and no one that is smoking gets a dirty look....in fact they're told to grab their coffee and ashtray and join folks at a table if they happen to be alone."

Yep! That's the way the place at Rock Island is, too!

What happened to our society?
What happened to the America we loved as youngsters?

I get a little sick to my stomach to think of how much we have lost that our kids and grandkids will never see.

[Gabz]

After I left the Club Car Cafe (It's a railroad town, what can I say!) I needed to go across the street to the hardware store. This store has been there for 3 forevers.........and is still run by the same family that openned it and the 5 & 10 (which is still there also)

I'm on line at the register and the woman at the register is the matriarch of the family and she is having this hilarious conversation with the couple in front of me. I couldn't help but join in the laughter. When they left she looked at me and said "I've never seen them before, but I could stand being behind this counter day after day without being able to enjoy folks."

I'm becoming very centralized because of that attitude.........there have been few stores I have gone into in our 2 years in this county where the people are not down to earth and just plain old fashioned pleasant and polite.

It's part of the reason we moved to rural red America.....so our duaghter doesn't miss out on what society SHOULD be.

[Mears]

I had been going out for breakfast since I retired 10 years ago. I went alone and I never made more friends in my life----I tend to be rather social.Met some great people,smokers and non-smokers. That all ended the beginning of last July.

My lunches and dinners out,about twice a week,I do with friends who don't smoke so never sat in the smoking section.

I sure do miss those breakfast places though,like the ones you described.

[Gabz]

Come visit, anytime........you'll love my little corner of rural Virginia!

[RandallFlagg]

Hmmmm. Don't see Colorado listed, but the news is all on about smoking bans as if they are begging for one to happen.

I echo you, lady: PUKES!