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CA Bill to Ban Smoking in Cars Carrying Small Children Resurrected [08/25-4]
Excerpts from: Car smoking ban resurrected
By James P. Sweeney The San Diego Union-Tribune [08/24/04]
Resurrecting a controversial measure that has attracted national attention, the
state Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would make California the first
state to ban smoking in cars when small children are inside.
The measure, the third incarnation of legislation already defeated twice this year, emerged from the Senate on a 21-13 vote, a bare majority in the 40-member house.
The vote sent the measure back to the Assembly, where a similar proposal fell two votes short of passage in May.
Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh, a Los Angeles Democrat carrying the legislation, said he believes its prospects are much better this time in the lower house. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the bill, although it was panned by the Department of Finance.
The legislation, AB 894, would prohibit smoking when children are required to ride in car seats – those under 6 years old or 60 pounds – are on board. Initial violations would draw only a warning. But subsequent violations would carry a $25 fine.
Public health researchers have concluded that secondhand smoke causes cancer and heart disease, and aggravates respiratory conditions, such as asthma. A new report from the surgeon general warned that babies exposed to secondhand smoke were twice as likely to be victims of sudden infant death syndrome.
Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh, a Los Angeles Democrat carrying the legislation, said he believes its prospects are much better this time in the lower house. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the bill, although it was panned by the Department of Finance. The legislation, AB 894, would prohibit smoking when children are required to ride in car seats – those under 6 years old or 60 pounds – are on board. Initial violations would draw only a warning. But subsequent violations would carry a $25 fine.
Public health researchers have concluded that secondhand smoke causes cancer and heart disease, and aggravates respiratory conditions, such as asthma. A new report from the surgeon general warned that babies exposed to secondhand smoke were twice as likely to be victims of sudden infant death syndrome.
In the Assembly, Firebaugh said the measure will go first to the health committee for a hearing. That, he hopes, will secure the support of committee chairwoman Rebecca Cohn, a Saratoga Democrat who abstained from the May vote because the bill had never been heard in her committee.
The legislation has no formal opposition, although the tobacco industry has lobbied hard against it.
One Republican, Sen. Jeff Denham of Salinas, joined 20 Democrats in approving the bill. Alpert was the lone Democrat to vote against it.
South Bay Democrats Debra Bowen of Redondo Beach, Betty Karnette of Long Beach and Ed Vincent of Inglewood all voted for the bill.
To view this Bill click here http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/pagequery?type=sen_bilinfo&site=sen&title=Bill+Information and search for Bill AB 894
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