New bill to amend Virginia's smokefree workplace law doesn't include e-cigarettes

[Bill Godshall]

HB 164 was introduced last week in Virginia's General Assembly that would amend VA's smokefree workplace law, but wouldn't apply to e-cigarettes (just as the current law doesn't).

The bill would remove a clause from the current law that prohibits smoking in all government owned buildings, and the sponsor's apparent intent is to allow state prison guards to smoke again inside state prisons.
Bill Tracking - 2012 session > Legislation

 

[Bill Godshall]

Another bill was introduced last week in VA (HB 142) that would allow local governments to ban smoking in parks, but the bill makes no mention of e-cigarettes.
Bill Tracking - 2012 session > Legislation

Since VA's Smokefree workplace law contains a provision that preempts local governments from enacting more restrictive smokefree laws, the legislature needs to enact new legislation to allow local governments to ban smoking at locations not included in the state law. But since VA's smokefree workplace law doesn't apply to the use of e-cigaretttes, there is no reason this legislation would mention e-cigarettes.

But since VA law doesn't preempt local governments from enacting e-cigarette usage bans, it is possible or likely that local governments in VA could ban the use of e-cigarettes in workplaces and perhaps outdoors. Thankfully, however, I'm not aware of any local proposals in VA to ban the use of e-cigs.

 

[DC2]

All this legal stuff is so complicated and confusing!!
No wonder it took my wife four tries to pass the bar exam.

 

[Vocalek]

All this legal stuff is so complicated and confusing!!
No wonder it took my wife four tries to pass the bar exam.

And if you think that's bad, try the U.S. Tax Code.