No Progress Made in Indiana

Once again the Indiana General Assembly failed to protect thousands of Hoosiers from the dangers of secondhand smoke. We, members of the Smoke Free Indy coalition, can all understand how important it is to pass a good bill. Six years ago, when the Indianapolis law was passed, we didn’t expect we would still be stuck with that law today. Passing HB 1018, in the form that it was in yesterday, would have meant passing one of the worst laws in the nation. We know Indiana is better than this, and we WILL eventually pass a good law that ensures that no one will have to be exposed to secondhand smoke just to earn a paycheck. Passing a better law in Indy will likely make the difference for the state. An editorial published today on Indianapolis Star said it best: “Hoosiers deserve better than HB 1018. If they can't have a law that's up to the task this year, they're better off waiting. They should remind their elected servants that, for 1,000 Hoosiers, there won't be a next year.”