BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1278
Page 1
Date of Hearing: January 19, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1278 (Hill) - As Amended: January 4, 2012
Policy Committee: HealthVote:12-5
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
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|This bill bans smoking in hospitals and on hospital grounds. |
|Specifically, this bill: |
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1) Prohibits smoking in all areas of a general acute care
hospital, including buildings, parking areas, sidewalks, and
other areas of a hospital campus.
2)Exempts sidewalks adjacent to the general acute care hospital
but not owned by the hospital, and property that is not part
of the principal medical campus and that is not used for
patient care.
3)Prohibits enforcement of this more comprehensive smoking ban
through fines.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Negligible state fiscal impact to the Department of Public
Health to continue oversight of hospital licensure.
2)To the extent that this more comprehensive smoking ban on
hospital campuses reduces the number of cigarettes purchased
by hospital employees, visitors, and patients, there could be
a minor reduction in revenues to various state tobacco tax
funds. As fewer people smoke and as those who smoke consume
fewer cigarettes, tobacco tax revenues have consistently been
declining by several percentage points per year. It is
difficult to estimate a direct contribution of this bill to
the continuing decline in tobacco tax revenues, but it would
AB 1278
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likely be minimal.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . According to the author and supporters, smoke-free
hospitals encourage patients, visitors, and employees to quit
smoking while reducing health problems caused by secondhand
smoke. This bill is supported by lung disease advocacy groups
and the California Hospital Association.
2)Background . Under current law, smoking is restricted in
patient care areas, waiting rooms, and visiting rooms of a
health facility. Over 70 California hospitals currently have
voluntarily prohibited smoking throughout their campuses.
Many hospitals nationally have smoke-free campuses. Workplace
smoking restrictions have been shown to reduce secondhand
smoke exposure and smoking in the workplace.
Analysis Prepared by : Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081