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Bill > S1517


NJ S1517

NJ S1517
Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.


summary

Introduced
02/16/2016
In Committee
02/16/2016
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/08/2018

Introduced Session

2016-2017 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill amends the "New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act," P.L.2005, c.383 (C.26:3D-55 et seq.), to prohibit smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities. Current law prohibits smoking in most indoor public places and workplaces, with certain exceptions, including indoor public places and workplaces which are within the perimeter of casinos and casino simulcasting facilities and accessible to the public for wagering. This bill would eliminate these exceptions from the smoking ban. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that casino workers are at greater risk for lung and heart disease because of secondhand smoke, and a study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that the air in casinos can have up to 50 times more cancer-causing particles than the air on rush-hour highways. This bill would protect all workers in New Jersey from the hazards of second hand smoke by requiring that casinos and casino simulcasting facilities be smoke-free workplaces.

AI Summary

This bill amends the "New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act" to eliminate the exemptions that allow smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities. Under current law, these indoor public places and workplaces are exempt from the smoking ban, but this bill would require casinos and simulcasting facilities to be smoke-free environments. This change is intended to protect workers in these industries from the health risks associated with secondhand smoke exposure, which has been found to be particularly high in casino environments.

Committee Categories

Health and Social Services

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 02/16/2016)

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