Smoke-Free Vehicles with Minors Passes Through Committee

Molokai youths and staff waiting nervously and patiently for the hearing to start on Jan. 5, 2018. Photo Courtesy Jana Sasada of Alu Like’s leadership team on Molokaʻi

A proposed legislation that would ban smoking in vehicles when a minor is present unanimously passed the Policy, Economic Development, and Agriculture committee on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018.

The proposed legislation, PEA-41, would prohibit smoking in vehicles in Maui County with persons under the age of 18 present.

Nine Maui keiki from the Maui Economic Opportunity youth program and Maui Nui Youth Council, and eight keiki from Alu Like’s leadership team on Molokaʻi delivered oral testimony during the meeting.

Originally proposed as a $25 to $50 fine if caught smoking with a minor present in a vehicle, committee members on Thursday voted to have the penalty increased to a $200 violation in Maui County. On Oʻahu, the violation is $100 for the first offence, $200 for the second offence and $500 for third offence within a one-year period.

The bill will now go through two council readings with the first scheduled for Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 and the final reading on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018.