Disappointed – but undeterred – by the failure of the Texas Legislature to pass her bill to establish smoke-free workplaces statewide, state Rep. Myra Crownover said Friday she will file the legislation again during the next legislative session.
"The fact remains that secondhand smoke kills 53,000 Americans each year," Crownover said. "By the time the Legislature reconvenes in January 2009, thousands more Texans will be dead or sick from exposure to secondhand smoke. That is unacceptable. During the interim I will continue to educate my legislative colleagues and the public about this deadly, but easily avoidable, public health threat so that Texas can finally join the growing number of states with comprehensive, smoke-free laws."
House Bill 9, as filed by Crownover, would have eliminated smoking in most indoor public and work places, including restaurants and bars. The bill passed the Texas House of Representatives and a Texas Senate committee. But it failed to reach the Senate floor for consideration before midnight Wednesday, the end-of-session deadline for consideration. The regular session 80th Texas Legislature ends Monday (May 28).
"I applaud the work of Sen. Rodney Ellis, who carried this bill in the Texas Senate, and the Smoke- Free Texas Coalition to pass this important workplace protection bill," Crownover said. "Even though the bill died, we made great strides in educating legislators and the public. I look forward to addressing this issue again in the next session of the Legislature."
Secondhand smoke kills 53,000 non-smoking Americans yearly and is the third leading cause of preventable death, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Twenty states – including four since January – have passed comprehensive, statewide smoke-free laws.
Crownover has represented District 64 in the Texas House of Representatives since 2000. House District 64 includes portions of Denton County: Denton, Lake Dallas, Corinth, Shady Shores, Hickory Creek, Lakewood Village, Little Elm, Oak Point & The Colony north of 121.
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