I have been introducing the Clean Indoor Air Act for the past five years, only to see it die in the Public Health and Human Services Committee. This year, by the grace of God, it (House Bill 123) was sent to the Conservation and Water Resources Committee, which Rep. Jamie Franks chairs. It has passed out of the committee twice, each version more watered down than the first, but it is still alive.
The original bill prohibited smoking in all public and private buildings in the state, with several exceptions. After the committee amended it, it went to the floor as a ban in publically owned buildings. The bill, which survived being recommitted to the Public Health and Human Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Steve Holland, was recommitted to be fine tuned in the Conservation and Water Resources Committee. The third version which now only bans smoking in government buildings passed out of committee and is now back on the House calendar for a vote next week. Let me hear your thoughts on this.
Previous Comments
That should be “publicly”
#170040 | Author: Rep. Erik Fleming | Date: Jan 23 2006
Update: The Clean Indoor Air Act bill passed the House today with 83 votes.
#170041 | Author: Rep. Erik Fleming | Date: Jan 26 2006
