***ACTION ALERT*** One small step in the right direction...

On Wednesday, May 20, the House Regulatory Reform Committee took a small step towards smoke free air for Michigan by passing HB 4377.* The bill would make restaurants and bars smoke free, but exempts casinos, cigar bars, and tobacco specialty shops. These exemptions leave many Michigan workers unprotected from the deadly effects of secondhand smoke.

Fortunately, the House has the opportunity to amend the bill and vote on a comprehensive smoke free legislation that would protect ALL of Michigan’s workers. We need your help to make this possible. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, D-Rochester, has recently made another public comment that the Senate will only consider comprehensive smoke free legislation with NO exemptions.

Here’s what to do now:

• Call Speaker of the House Andy Dillon at 888-737-3455 TODAY and ask him to take action to pass a comprehensive (no exemptions) smoke free bill by supporting the Bauer-P. Scott amendment before next week.

• Call your Represenative’s office and ask your lawmaker to support a comprehensive (no exemptions) smoke free bill by supporting the Bauer-P. Scott amendment.

It is because of concerned citizens like you that have gotten this bill back on track. A mere month and a half ago, Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford, and Senator Bishop were telling us that the bill wasn’t important and would not be handled until summer, at best. Several action alerts were sent out and you responded! Phone lines were shut down, and inboxes were flooded by Michiganders across the state demanding smoke free air.

Thank you for all of your support and hard work. When this bill passes, know that it was due, in large part, to your phone calls.

*The bill passed 9-1. Representative Jim Stamas, R-Midland, Representative Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, passed.