Tobacco_Legislation

TEAM ONE. During the last ten years, what bills regarding the control of tobacco use have been offered for vote in the Oklahoma State Legislature' (This will require substantial outside research. Perhaps you should talk with a long-term representative and/or someone in the Bill Processing Departments of the House and/or Senate and/or a long-term executive of the State Department of Health. Also, you may want to work with Team Two.) HB 2135, by Rep. Kris Steele, would repeal special provisions in current state tobacco laws that prohibit cities and towns from exercising their local right to adopt tobacco prevention ordinances. It would return that power to locally elected officials to determine the most appropriate measures to address reducing tobacco use in their communities. Oklahoma is one of only two states in the nation that prohibits communities from adopting any ordinance on tobacco that is stronger than state law. HB 2135 would also allow Oklahoma’s cities and towns the opportunity to pass ordinances that would improve the health of their community’s workforce and positively influence continued economic growth for the state. House Bill 2774, by Rep. Kris Steele, authorizes the State Department of Health to implement a rebate program to reimburse restaurant owners for a portion of the expenses incurred in complying with statutory requirements for constructing a designated smoking room if the restaurant converts to a completely smoke-free environment. The measure also allows the State Department of Health to establish programs for the voluntary certification of communities and schools that promote wellness and health. Sen. David Myers, R-Ponca City, has filed Senate Bill 1036, which would abolish separately ventilated smoking rooms by Sept. 1, 2010. It would ban new or existing restaurants from adding designated smoking rooms after Sept. 1, 2009. During the last legislative session, Myers' Senate Bill 1875 -- which would have wiped out smoking in all restaurants, taverns, bars and hotels -- had too few votes to pass.