Smoking in Texas

[Updates below.]

New legislation to be worried about if you give a damn about freedom. The author is Rep. Carlos Uresti.

House Bill 342 would:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 161.082, Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 161.082. SALE OF CIGARETTES OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO
PERSONS YOUNGER THAN 21 [18] YEARS OF AGE PROHIBITED; PROOF OF AGE REQUIRED.

SECTION 2. Sections 161.082(a) and (e), Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if the person, with criminal
negligence:

(1) sells, gives, or causes to be sold or given a cigarette or tobacco product to someone who is younger than 21 [18] years of age; or

(2) sells, gives, or causes to be sold or given a cigarette or tobacco product to another person who intends to deliver it to someone who is younger than 21 [18] years of age.

(e) A proof of identification satisfies the requirements of Subsection (d) if it contains a physical description and photograph consistent with the person's appearance, purports to establish that the person is 21 [18] years of age or older, and was issued by a governmental agency.

[...]

SECTION 4. Section 161.085(a), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Each retailer shall notify each individual employed by that retailer who is to be engaged in retail sales of cigarettes or tobacco products that state law:

(1) prohibits the sale or distribution of cigarettes or tobacco products to any person who is younger than 21 [18] years of age as provided by Section 161.082 and that a violation of that section is a Class C misdemeanor

"The bill would amend Chapter 161 of the Health and Safety Code, along with Chapters 154 and 155 of the Tax Code, to increase the legal age for the sale, distribution, possession, purchase, consumption, or receipt of cigarettes or tobacco products. Under current law the legal age is 18 years of age. This bill would make the legal age 21 years of age. This bill would take effect September 1, 2003."

There are also a depressing number of bills aiming to increase the tax on cigarettes to pay for various state programs, such as House Bill 53 (Rep. Steven Wolens), House Bill 267 (Rep. Elliott Naishtat), House Bill 1603 (Rep. Bob E. Griggs), House Bill 3192 (Rep. Carlos Uresti), and Senate Bill 1153 (Sen. Eliot Shapleigh).

Austin needs to stage a smoke-in and protest this shit.

UPDATED 8/30/2005 2:00pm
Deadline for the Austin Smoking Ordinance

Posted by Drizzten at April 02, 2003 10:12 AM