Bill To Ban Smoking in Cars
by Christine Stuart | February 28, 2008 11:17 AM
Posted to Environment
| Health Care
For the second year in a row, Rep. Henry Genga, D-East Hartford, is proposing a bill that would penalize adults who smoke in their cars with young children on board.
“A small child cannot be protected unless we protect them,” Genga said in his testimony to the Select Committee on Children Thursday. He said the language in the bill is exactly the same as last year, however, this year it has a better chance.
So what’s different?
He said the Judiciary Committee has promised to bring it up for a vote.
Genga was not alone in his optimism. Justin Kvadas, the sixth-grader from Sunset Ridge in East Hartford who came up with the idea for the bill last year, said based on the additional 429 signatures he gathered he thinks it has a “better chance this time.”
Kvadas came up with the idea for the bill when he was coming home from tae kwon do practice. He said he remembers looking out the window of the car and thinking, if you can’t talk on your cell phone while driving, how come you can still smoke?
Aside from being distracting, Genga said there’s no risk-free exposure from second hand smoke. He said there are an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 cases every year of infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, in infants and children under 18 months of age who breathe second hand smoke. He said 7,500 to 15,000 of these children require hospitalization.
The bill would apply to children ages 7 and under who are required to ride in a child restraint system. Genga said California, Louisiana, Arkansas, and the city of Bangor, Maine have all enacted similar laws or local ordinances.
Comments (3)
Posted by: Phil | February 28, 2008 2:57 PM
Certainly smoking in a vehicle that also has a young child inside is a very poor idea. I suppose if educational campaigns don't work, then I suppose that a small fine is warranted. I doubt that the police would fine too many people, but maybe the threat of a fine would make some less responsible adults think about what they're doing.
Posted by: Cory Soulier | February 28, 2008 6:33 PM
This bill is highly enforceable because it mirrors the child restraint law that says any child below the weight of 70 lbs., or under age 7 needs to be restrained in the proper child restraint seat which is highly visible from the outside of a vehicle. This bill shouldn't be up for debate regaurding its enforcability. If you are a patrol officer and you see a driver or passenger smoking with a small child visibly sitting in a child car seat, you pull that car over and issue the fine. Its really that simple. The real question should be in regaurds to the work ethic of our patrol officers.
Posted by: Peeete![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| March 2, 2008 12:14 AM
All hail the nanny state. What's next, can't smoke in your house if you have children?
I don't smoke, but this proposed law is as bad as the cell phone law. In CT the police are become people's moms. You can't legislate common sense. I'm sure there's already 10 laws on the books you could throw at the parents for making kids breathe their chain smoke.
This is not the job of police officers.