March 18, 2009: Legislative Report #33

Smoking In Your Car

A couple days ago, I had an opportunity meeting with a current Minnesota Republican Senator. Our conversation covered the issue of smoking in Minnesota. House file #379 is intended to criminalize smoking in your personal vehicle. As with so many other quote, “great Ideas” like criminalizing seatbelt usage over time, this bill removes further personal liberties. State Constitution provides NO authority for HF #379 introduction for consideration. Without liberty minded, constitutional, legislative representatives like me, criminalization of your personal choice to smoke in a private setting is inevitable. 

The Senator also mentioned to me having discussions with colleagues on enforcing the concept of a smoking ban in automobiles. Talk at the capital is to use the Photo Cop intersection system. The idea is photograph people smoking in their automobiles with or without children, as they pass intersections, then issue a ticket similar to running a red light.