Governor Signs Smoking Ban for Cars With Kids Present
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Wednesday signed SB 7 by Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach) that will ban smoking in cars with children present, the Sacramento Bee reports.
The law permits fines of $100 for drivers or passengers caught smoking with children under the age of 18 present in a vehicle (Rojas, Sacramento Bee, 10/11).
Police will not be permitted to stop drivers solely because someone is smoking with a child present, but citations can be issued for violating the law if the vehicle is pulled over for another offense.
That concession was made to win legislative support for the measure, according to Ray Sotero, spokesperson for Sen. Oropeza.
The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2008 (Lawrence, AP/Los Angeles Daily News, 10/10).
Arkansas and Louisiana passed similar laws last year, making California the third state in the U.S. to ban smoking in vehicles with children present (Sacramento Bee, 10/11).