News
Targeting Secondhand Smoke In Home Day Cares
Sunday, January 27, 2013
WOWT.com (Omaha)
JoAnn Hansen has operated a day care in her home for 30 years and has developed a very close relationship with the children in her care. She is also a former smoker and is concerned about the dangers of secondhand smoke.
"I smoked for many many years and I know what it did to my health. It's not healthy for the children."
Hansen is in favor of a bill proposed by State Sen. Rick Kolowki that would place a total ban on smoking in home day cares, even in areas away from where children gather.
"Children are an under represented group," said Kolowki. "This is for the health and well-being of all children."
The bill designed to make all day cares smoke-free all of the time would be more in line with current restrictions on commercial day care businesses.
Hansen's husband Mike helps with day care duties in their home and is not in total agreement with LB 630. "There should absolutely be no smoking in the day care, but if a person runs something, if they live upstairs, their upstairs should be their own place. That's their castle if they want to smoke. I'm a nonsmoker, but I think that's their business. I don't think the government belongs in people's business like that."
LB 630 is co-sponsored by senators Kolowski, Kathy Campbell from District 25 in Lincoln, Mike Gloor from District 35 in Grand Island and Sara Howard from District 9 in Omaha.
http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/Targeting-Second-Hand-Smoke-In-Home-Daycares-188617591.html
