VIDEO - South Carolina bill to ban smoking in cars with kids present..

April 2, 2011 - A bill that would ban smoking in your vehicle when children are in a car seat is being debated at the Statehouse. The bill was introduced by (D) Sen. Darrell Jackson after he saw a woman smoking with children in the car at a shopping center.

Child safety seats are required in South Carolina for children 6 and under or up to 80 pounds. If the bill were to become law, a fine of $25 could be issued for a violation.

A few related news briefs:
Columbia, South Carolina - with smoking ban in place more cigarette butts can be found..;
Smoking in a car, even if window is open, exposes a child to dangerous levels of poisonous particles..;
This is a FACT: Children's exposure to second-hand smoke is dangerous, especially in cars..;
United Kingdom - head GP physician calls smoking in front of children "child abuse"..;
Senior British Doctors demand banning smoking in vehicles when children are present..;
More evidence - vehicles most dangerous space for second-hand smoke inhalation..;
Vehicles Most Dangerous Space for Second-Hand Smoke Levels...

We spoke with Dianne Wilson, the Exe. Dir. Of the South Carolina African American Tobacco Control Network. She says the bill is a good start, but it doesn't go far enough. She says the bill should cover all kids, not just those up to 6 years old.

Bruce Bates lives in Dorchester. He says while he is not a smoker, he doesn't support the bill. He says as long as smoking is legal, the government should not restrict where citizens can smoke.

Link to Senate Bill - http://www.scstatehouse.gov/cgi-bin/query.exe?first=DOC&querytext=3202&category=Legislation&session=119&conid=6337823&result_pos=0&keyval=1193202

Link to House Bill - http://www.scstatehouse.gov/cgi-bin/query.exe?first=DOC&querytext=292&category=Legislation&session=119&conid=6337826&result_pos=0&keyval=1190292

Reference: SC bill to ban smoking in cars with children by Newsroom, counton2.com, 3/30/2011.

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South Carolina - governor vetoes bill to raise tobacco tax..;
South Carolina - tobacco tax increase bill goes to governor..;
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South Carolina - senators try to write bill on cigarette tax increase to override Governor Sanford's veto..;
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South Carolina - among the worst states in the nation in smoking prevention efforts..;
South Carolina - among the worst states in the nation in smoking prevention efforts..;
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