Smoking in Cars (H 8238, S 2204A)

In March, the Affiliate testified before the Senate Health and Human Services committee in opposition to legislation barring smoking in any motor vehicle carrying a child.  The ACLU testified that, while smoking in cars should certainly not be encouraged, police involvement in the form of a traffic stop was an inappropriate response to an action which was not related to an individual’s safe operation of a motor vehicle.  In May, the committee recommend and the Senate passed a version of the bill stating an individual could only receive a warning for smoking with a child present who was required by law to be restrained, and could not be stopped solely for that purpose.  However, both bills failed to move out of committee in the House.