WHEREAS, Public Law Chapter 95-232 (Section 23-20.6-2 of the Rhode Island General Laws) specifically prohibits smoking anywhere in the State House. Some elected officials, however, are ignoring this statute and can be found smoking on the floor of the House, in the House Lounge, in committee rooms, and elsewhere in the Capitol; and

WHEREAS, Elected officials, as servants of the people, should not call upon their fellow citizens to refrain from smoking in the State House while ignoring this law themselves; and

WHEREAS, Disregard for the law not only sends a message to the citizens of Rhode Island that some of their elected officials believe that they are somehow above the laws that they enact, but ignoring the harmful and annoying effects of second-hand smoke exhibits a profound disregard for the wishes of non-smokers and law-abiding colleagues who smoke only where it is legal to do so; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby reaffirms its oath to uphold the laws of Rhode Island by pledging not to smoke in the State House and encourages all other elected officials to do the same.