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Utah House passes law banning smoking in cars with children; first-year warning, small fine included
Summary
After extended debate, the Utah House on March 7, 2011 approved First Substitute House Bill 89 to prohibit smoking in vehicles when children 15 and under are present. Lawmakers split over enforcement and a proposed education-only substitute failed 30–43 before the final bill passed 39–35.
The Utah House of Representatives on March 7 approved First Substitute House Bill 89, banning smoking in a vehicle when a child 15 or younger is present and making the offense a secondary violation with a maximum fine of $45.
Representative Arendt, the bill sponsor, told the House the measure is aimed at protecting children from concentrated secondhand smoke in the small, enclosed space of a car. "Secondhand smoke causes lifetime damage to the developing lungs of young children," she said, citing public-health studies and endorsements from multiple health organizations. Under the substitute, the first year of enforcement will be a…
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