N.J. lawmakers advance bill banning smoking in cars with kids (The Star-Ledger, Reporter Susan K. Livio)
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On Monday June 15, 2015, the New Jersey Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee approved a bill banning smoking in cars with children under 17 by an 8-0 vote. State Sen. Robert Gordon (D-Bergen) abstained from voting.
GASP’s Legislative and Policy intern Sara Tom is featured in the story as she testified on the importance of this bill. She noted that while privacy rights are important, “but when children are harmed by a class-a carcinogen — second-hand smoke — then public health and safety must take precedence over smoking around children.”
Smoking tobacco or electronic cigarettes in the presence of children under 17 would be a secondary offense, meaning a driver would have to had to be pulled over for speeding, driving recklessly, using a cell phone or committing another primary motor vehicle offense.
You can read more about this bill from The Star-Ledger here.
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Senate Health Committee Chair Senator Joseph Vitale