A State Senate Committee will be holding a public hearing on Senator Micciche’s smoking bill this Wednesday.
The bill, SB 1, would prohibit smoking in businesses which have one or more employees and are accessible to the public.
Sen. Micciche: “Ya know half of Alaskan’s are living with that law today, a smoke free workplace its fair to have that discussion to see if the other half of Alaskan’s want that protection.”
Micciche said that would include restaurants, bars, and clubs, but wouldn’t apply if you have a private carer working in your own home.
The bill was brought forward by the American Cancer Society, represented by Kenai’s Johna Beech…
Beech: “A lot of people are under the assumption that SB 1 does include a tobacco tax and that is not correct. Pretty much what SB 1 is is just asking people to take it outside, so that’s tobacco smoke, that’s e-cigarettes, and any other plant based materials. So we’re not banning anything, that’s another thing that I’ve been hearing is ‘You’re trying to ban’, we’re not banning anything, it’s strictly asking people to take it outside for the workers’ safety.”
You can listen to Wednesday’s 1:30pm hearing at the Kenai LIO on Main St Loop.