ACTION ALERTS

Local Control Bills Still Active!

Representatives Foege and Shickel introduced a House File, HF261 on February 11, 2005, which would allow local authorities to enact stricter smoking regulations than that of the state. The bill has been referred to Local Government.

Also filed last year, similar language in Senate Study Bill 1137 (SSB1137) filed by Senator Quirmbach. This is CAFE’s bill to restore local control. Senator Quirmbach will be filing the same study bill again in 2006. It will have a new number.

CALL TO ACTION

Write or call your legislators and ask them to support this legislation. Refer to the CAFE Talking Points available on the web for more information.

Attend local legislative forums or town hall meetings and ask them if elected will they vote for legislation that will give local communities the flexibility to pass ordinances that ban smoking in public places to protect the health of their community.

Q1. Protecting the health of Iowans and saving lives should be a top priority for any legislator. There are many individuals and organizations in our community who work endlessly to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco including educating people about the dangers of secondhand smoke. Will you vote for legislation that restores local control to cities to regulate smoking in public places so they can protect the health of the people in their communities?

Q2. Did you know that 53,000 people die each year from diseases related to secondhand smoke, and 500 of them are Iowans? Secondhand smoke is the 3rd leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and the general public is increasingly becoming aware of the adverse effects of secondhand smoke. That is why they support restoring local control to cities so they can regulate smoking in public places. Will you vote for legislation that restores local control to cities to protect the health of their constituents?