FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1081

                          C 9 L 97

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Strengthening school policies and prohibitions on the use of tobacco at schools.

Sponsors: Representatives Koster, Mulliken, Dunn, Mielke, Thompson, McMorris, Boldt, Sterk, Sherstad, Bush and Smith.

House Committee on Education

Senate Committee on Education

Background:  Since 1991, the Legislature has required school districts to forbid smoking and the use of other tobacco products on school property.  School districts have the discretion to determine specific policies and sanctions.  School districts frequently include tobacco policies in school policy handbooks distributed to staff and students.  Some school districts have tobacco cessation programs, either singly or in conjunction with a general drug prevention program.  For students caught smoking or using tobacco, many school districts apply a graduated sanction approach.  Typically, the school district issues the student a warning on the first offense.  The school district may sanction repeated offenses by suspending the student or requiring the student to enroll in a program to stop tobacco use.  School districts may allow an exemption on the tobacco prohibition for alternative schools within the school district.

Summary:  School district tobacco policy requirements are clarified.

School districts must have a written tobacco policy that prohibits the use of tobacco products on school property.  At a minimum, school districts must notify school personnel and students of the prohibition, post signs that prohibit the use of tobacco products, sanction school personnel and students who violate the policy, and require school district personnel to enforce the school district policy in addition to enforcing current prohibitions on smoking in public places.  The exemption for alternative schools is removed.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 26 20

Effective:August 1, 1997