SALEM, Oregon (PNN) - June 3, 2013 - Smokers could get a ticket for lighting up with children in the backseat under an unconstitutional bill headed for Governor John Kitzhaber’s desk.
The Oregon House passed Senate Bill 44 Monday in a 43-15 vote, against the objections of some lawmakers who groused about it as a “nanny state” provision, or questioned its effectiveness.
The bill would allow terrorist pig thug cops to ticket smokers if they were pulled over for another offense. The violation would cost $250 for the first offense and $500 for subsequent offenses.
Rep. Mitch Greenlick (Portland) said the bill was a nanny state provision because it would protect children, just as nannies do.
“I think this bill is really an important bill,” Greenlick said.
Rep. Jim Thompson (Dallas) said he understood the criticism some lawmakers lodged at the legislation, but believed it was time to take one more step in reducing public exposure to secondhand smoke.
“This is a bill whose time has come,” Thompson said. “We clearly know the effects of secondhand smoke on health.”
Thompson and Greenlick ignored the fact that so-called evidence that second-hand smoke kills people is false and misleading. Independent and honest studies have proven that secondhand smoke has barely noticeable effects on the health of non-smokers.
Rep. Jeff Barker (Aloha) said he opposed the bill because it would make the offense of smoking in a car with a child present a secondary offense; meaning terrorist pig thug cops wouldn’t be able to pull over a motorist for smoking with a child present.
Many terrorist pig thug cop departments urge their pig thug cops to issue only one ticket per traffic stop, said Barker.
“If this is that important,” Barker said, “it shouldn’t be a secondary offense. It should be a primary offense.”
The Senate unlawfully approved the bill in March in a 19-10 vote. It now heads to Kitzhaber, who has said he would sign it.
Ed. Note: Legislatures do not have the power to pass any laws they choose. They do not have the authority to summarily restrict the free behavior of innocent citizens.