The bi-partisan bill to ban smoking in public places throughout the commonwealth of Kentucky took a step towards becoming a reality on Thursday as it passed the House Health and Welfare Committee by a vote of 10-3. Kentucky House Bill 173 would create new sections of Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 438 to both define terms, and from the bill’s summary: prohibit indoor smoking in businesses, places of employment, and other listed public places; exempt private residences, unless used for child care or adult day care; permit smoking in designated nonenclosed areas; require posting of “no smoking” signs at specified locations; permit local governments to adopt stricter regulations by ordinance; provide for enforcement by all peace officers and designated health department and local government employees; provide for the issuance of uniform citations for violations; require that employers and others not discriminate against persons reporting violations; provide for fines for violation; provide that fines go to the agency whose employee issued the citation; provide that no court costs or other fees be charged for violations; exempt certain research and manufacturing laboratories and agricultural buildings; amend KRS 344.040, relating to unlawful practices by an employer, to add reference to state law, local ordinance, or ...
↧