COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Ohio Senate Bill 106, introduced by Senator Charleta Tavares (D) on Tuesday, would prohibit anyone from smoking a cigar, cigarette, pipe, or any other lighted smoking device for burning tobacco or any other plant, while a child under the age of six was in the vehicle with them.
A person caught violating the law would be charged $500 under the proposed law.
Anyone caught under the proposed law would be fined $500 for the first violation and an additional $250 for each subsequent violation.
“This bill is being introduced once again to protect the health and safety of Ohio’s vulnerable children. Tough issues require persistence, tenacity, and continuous education of the public and the Ohio General Assembly. I believe Ohioans want to protect babies and children as evidenced by our comprehensive work to address infant deaths. Tobacco smoke and particularly in a confined cabin of a vehicle is one of the primary issues that impact premature birth and infant mortality,” Tavares stated in a release.
This is the third time Tavares has introduced a bill similar to this. In 2015, she introduced Senate Bill 89, which failed to advance past the Health and Human Services Committee.