The Tennessee General Assembly
104th General Assembly Main Bill Index
HB3102
Tobacco, Tobacco Products - Prohibits smoking in restaurants permitting access to or employing persons under age 18. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17 and Title 68.
PDF
SB2742
Tobacco, Tobacco Products - Prohibits smoking in restaurants permitting access to or employing persons under age 18. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17 and Title 68.
PDF
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February 23, 2006
Dear Senators and Representatives
Senator Jamie Woodson
Senator Raymond Finney
Senator Randy McNally
Senator Tim Burchett
Representative Joe McCord
Representative Doug Overbey
Representative Joe Armstrong
Representative Bill Dunn
Representative Park Strader
Representative Richard Montgomery
Representative Russell Johnson
Representative Stacey Campfield
I sincerely hope that you to take the time to read this letter and really think about what I have to say.
I’m a constituent from Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee and woke up this morning to an email from a concerned friend. It seems that both the Senate and House Legislators have been busy writing their own version of Anti-Smoking Ban legislation. Though both bills basically have the same verbiage, they have already made it through first reading, second reading and been sent to the Senate State and Local Government Committee. I, as a voting citizen of the Great State of Tennessee, was unaware that any type legislation was being composed, much less already made 1st and 2nd readings. One very important question is, have you asked your constituents about this proposed legislation, or are you only listening to Anti-Smoking groups? The reason I ask that question is because I have not been approached on this matter, have not read anything in the papers, have not seen a survey, and I have not heard from any of my group members about there knowledge of this legislation. Our group in Tennessee has hundreds of members, but we are associated with The Smokers Club, Inc. which is a International Organization, with Associates worldwide.
First and foremost, is that you are proposing a bill for a ban on a completely legal substance, that some of your constituents have the right to indulge in, and that already, in Blount and Knox Counties alone, the Anti-Smokers have over 170 places to eat that are smoke-free. Out of the remaining ninety something counties in Tennessee, how many restaurants are smoke-free. I think you will find that the majority is smoke free. But yet you propose to take away what few places smokers have to go eat and smoke a cigarette. Just as I have the choice to only patronize establishments that allow smoking, the non-smokers also have the choice to only patronize non-smoking establishments.
Secondly, is have you talked with the business owners that this Proposed Ban will affect? Have you asked them their opinion, considered how much business they might stand to lose? And down the road, do you propose Bans on other completely legal rights, that possibly the Anti’s do not like and what you may pass legislation to ban. What is next, a smoking ban outdoors?
Third, all that I’m asking for is a fair and impartial decision on this matter. I’m sure that the Anti-Smoking Groups have pushed to have legislation like this passed. They have the money to lobby for such things. Money collected for research, anti-smoking campaigns and education of not smoking. Money that should not be used for lobbying Federal, State and Local Governments. After all the Anti-Smoking Groups want to control our lives. It is no different then during the Second World War, when the Nazi’s controlled their people. They controlled their everyday lives, and there is no difference.
All I ask is that you look at both sides of the coin, by going to the following website www.yessir-tn.info and read the Ban Damage and the Ban Loss information. There are links to this information, which is linked from http://www.smokersclubinc.com/, which is an International Group. Get information from both sides before you make you final decision. Look at other cities,like New York that passed smoking bans, and the damage to businesses and employment. Look at what the Governor of New York said after the ban. The information at these websites is factual, and not readjusted to fit our needs. And I can only hope that you do not let State Government start controlling peoples lives. We are all grown-ups and can decide what, where and when we want to go somewhere or do something. After all this is a free country.
Very respectfully,
Robert F. Pritchard
mailto:info@yessir-tn.info
Southeast Regional Director of The Smoker's Club, Inc.
YesSIR of Tennessee - http://www.yessir-tn.info
The Smoker's Club, Inc. &: Video Archive - http://www.smokersclub.com
Smokers Rights Newsletter - http://www.smokersclubinc.com
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From: Doug Overbey
To: Robert Pritchard
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006
Subject: RE: Possible New Smoking Ban in Tennessee
Dear Mr. Pritchard,
Many thanks for your email, and letting me know you views on antismoking legislation. Your email doesn't refer to this legislation by House or Senate bill number, so I'm not sure which bills you are talking about. As such legislation emerges, I will certainly bear your views in mind and will not make any decision without considering all sides of the issue. I would also mention that as far as the procedure here in Nashville, the first and second readings of bills are largely perfunctory. In fact, this is done only by bill number and not by subject matter. The real debate comes when bills are referred to and scheduled to be heard by committee. You can follow the course of bills by going to www.legislature.state.tn.us and following the prompts for legislation.
I hope this is helpful to you. Thanks again for sharing your point of view on this proposed legislation.
Sincerely,
Doug Overbey
State Representative
20th Legislative District
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From: Doug Overbey
To: Robert Pritchard
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006
Subject: RE: Possible New Smoking Ban in Tennessee
Thanks for sending the bill numbers. I took a look at the bills and their history. The bills prohibit smoking in restaurants that employee minors. The Senate bill, SB2742, was referred to the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Feb. 16. The House bill, HB3102, passed on 1st consideration yesterday, 2/22, and probably passed on 2nd consideration today, although that is not yet on the web site. I assume it will be referred to the House State and Local Government Committee, although other tobacco related bills have been referred to the Agriculture Committee. You may want to continue to check the web site for further developments.
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