Bills › 88th General Assembly
Relating to smoking in a motor vehicle with a child present and providing penalties
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 22, 2020
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 27, 2020
- Stopped: House committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2020 session adjourned on June 14, 2020, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary People are not allowed to smoke in a car if a child is inside. Police officers can only give a ticket for this if they have already pulled the driver over for a different traffic violation. If someone breaks this rule, they could face a $200 fine.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to smoking in a motor vehicle with a child present. The bill prohibits a person from smoking in a motor vehicle if a person under years of age is present in the motor vehicle. The bill provides that a peace officer shall not stop or detain a person solely for a suspected violation of the bill, but rather that a peace officer may only enforce the bill as a secondary action when the driver of a motor vehicle has been stopped or detained for a suspected violation of another provision of Code chapter 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road), a local ordinance equivalent to a provision of Code chapter 321, or other law. A violation of the bill shall not be considered a moving violation. The bill requires the department of transportation and the department of public safety to establish educational programs to foster compliance with the requirements of the bill. A person convicted of a violation of the bill is guilty of a simple misdemeanor punishable as a scheduled violation, and the scheduled fine is $200. Fines collected are to be remitted to the treasurer of state and credited to the department of public health for the purposes of the tobacco use prevention and control initiative as provided in Code chapter 142A (tobacco use prevention and control).
House subcommittee
Named January 27, 2020. Meeting: Tuesday, February 11 · 11:00 AM · House Lounge.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part