
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 13, 1994                   TAG: 9402130055
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

ANTI-SMOKING LEGISLATION STUBBED OUT BY COMMITTEE

Bills to broaden restrictions on public smoking and to allow localities to enact anti-smoking ordinances tougher than state standards were killed Saturday by a legislative committee.

Also, the House of Delegates passed bills creating a teacher licensing board and allowing private operation of regional jails. A heavy workload and Tuesday's deadline for each General Assembly chamber to act on its own bills prompted weekend House floor sessions and committee meetings.

The Counties, Cities and Towns Committee voted 13-5 to kill Del. Bernard Cohen's bill that would have banned smoking in meeting rooms, large stores, restrooms, shopping malls and many other public places.

A 1990 law, also sponsored by Cohen, already prohibits smoking in a few public places, including cashier lines, elevators and common areas of schools.

"Smoking is a private thing," said Cohen, D-Alexandria. "But children ought not be forced to smoke the secondhand smoke of adults."

Some committee members said the bill would hurt tobacco farmers, and others said their constituents don't want further smoking restrictions.

The committee also voted 13-4 to kill a bill by Del. Vince Callahan, R-McLean, that would have allowed local smoking ordinances more restrictive than the state law.

Anthony Troy, a lobbyist for the Tobacco Institute, argued that the bill would negate a compromise struck by the industry and anti-smoking activists when the Clean Indoor Air Act was passed four years ago.

"This would upset the apple cart completely," he said.

Troy said businesses with offices or stores in several localities would be confused by the lack of statewide standards.

The House voted 63-33 to pass a bill creating a new board to award teacher licenses and determine qualifications for being licensed. The bill would strip those duties from the state Board of Education. Of the 19 members of the new board, seven would be teachers and two would be college faculty members.

A bill by Del. John Rollison, R-Woodbridge, to allow private companies to operate regional jails was approved 55-42. Rollison said the move could save money.

Del. David Brickley, D-Woodbridge, said it would be a mistake to turn over such important duties to private contractors. "The most violent criminals will be coming through those jails."

However, Del. Pete Giesen, R-Augusta, said studies have shown privately operated prisons in other states have had no more trouble overall than those run by governments.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994

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