Smoke Free Bills Pass through Texas Committees
by Brooke McMillan
The smoke-free indoor workplace legislation has passed through two important committees and is one step closer to becoming law.
The Senate version of the bill, SB 355, was passed by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday with a 5 to 3 vote. And on Wednesday, the House Public Health Committee approved the House version of the bill, HB 670, 8 to 2.
Today we celebrate the momentum gained on this life-saving legislation but there is still a great deal of work needed to ensure passage. The next hurdle in the process is getting HB 670 on the House Calendar and SB 355 heard in the Texas Senate. We will compete with thousands of other bills filed this Legislative Session.
A 2011 statewide poll found that 70 percent of Texas voters surveyed support making bars, restaurants and other indoor workplaces smoke free. Texans want this bill to have its day on the House and Senate floors, so we will be calling on you to continue to let your legislators know that you support smoke-free indoor workplace legislation and it deserves to be heard.
Ask your friends and family to join you in supporting a smoke-free indoor workplace law in Texas by signing up for information and action alerts, sharing this on Facebook or forwarding this blog to a friend. Every Texan has the right to breathe clean air.
With victory this early in the process, we have momentum on our side, and with your support, we will continue to push forward. Thank you for all the work you have done to help us get this far. Every time you take action in support of this legislation, you are helping get us closer to the reality of a smoke-free Texas.
