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House approves bill to limit smoking in state buildings after heated debate
Summary
The Utah House passed substitute House Bill 197 to restrict smoking in state‑owned buildings, citing public‑health studies and experiences in other states. Supporters said the measure protects workers and could mirror executive policies; opponents warned it should be an executive decision and raised personal‑liberty concerns. Vote: 47–23.
Representative Evan L. Olson, sponsor of substitute House Bill 197, told the House the measure would give state agencies the “tools necessary to control inmate problems before they become epidemic” and argued it is part of a broader policy to restrict smoking in state‑owned buildings. Olson cited other states’ executive orders and a 1991 Environmental Protection Agency study on secondhand smoke as context for the proposal.
The bill drew sustained debate on the floor. Representative…
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