CAPITOL NOTEBOOK: Snuffed Out

Publication Date: 2006-09-03

• Author:Steven Harmon and Alvie Lindsay
• Publication:Contra Costa Times

SMOKING BILL EXTINGUISHED: Perhaps the highest profile bill that passed in one house of the Legislature only to be defeated in the other was proposed legislation that would have prohibited smoking in vehicles when young children are present.

And it was defeated ultimately by two very different concerns.

A slew of Republicans called it a government intrusion -- an example of "nanny government" that detracts law enforcement officials from dealing with "real criminals."

But what killed the bill was that it didn't get enough support among Democrats.