Proposed Bill could affect MacDill AFB Personnel

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katherine Holt
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AFB, Fla. --  State Representative Kevin Ambler (R-Tampa) announced the 2010 "Ought to be a Law" student legislation, which is titled Smoking in Vehicles with Minor Passengers, was officially filed in the Florida House of Representatives Feb. 18. The next step in the process is for the bill to be referred to its various Committees and Councils in the Florida House.

Bloomingdale Senior High School students and OTBAL Student Legislation Delegation members, Rebekah Morffi and Aaron Santana, proposed the bill idea to Representative Ambler, Senator Crist and other Representatives in the Florida House at the 6th Annual "Ought to be a Law" Student Town Hall.

House Bill 1141 provides that it is unlawful for any person to be smoking in a vehicle in this state if a minor under 16 years of age is also present in the vehicle. The violation is secondary in nature, and it will be an enhanced penalty, which will be an additional $100 fine assessed to the traffic violation already received by the motorist.

"If the bill is passed, the 6th Security Forces Squadron will route a recommendation through the Legal Office to the wing commander," said Mr. Keith Turney, 6 SFS Assistant Operations Officer. "If the recommendation is approved by the wing commander, the proper steps will be taken to advertise to the base populous of the new plan to implement this violation."

According to Mr. Turney, the process will be similar to the one that implemented no cell phone use while driving.

The final say on the bill will not be known until session ends in the first week of May.

(Additional reporting by Amber Smith, District Office of Kevin Ambler)