11. Consider letter of support smoke-free day care facilities I
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CITYOF .
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CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739
MEMORANDU M
TO: Mayor and City Council
1 FROM: Don Ashworth, City Manager
DATE: December 10, 1992
1 SUBJ: Consider Letter of Support for Smoke -Free Daycare Facilities
Councilwoman Dimler has asked that this item be placed on to Monday's agenda for
consideration. The Association for Nonsmokers -- Minnesota is requesting support for a bill
1 requiring licensed family day cares to be smoke -free during hours of operation. Attached is
further information regarding this request.
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t0, PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
Association for Nonsmokers - Minnesota
2395 University Avenue West Suite 310
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114 -1512
(612) 646 -3005 FAX: (612) 646 -0142
December 7, 1992
' Dear board member,
The number one legislative priority for ANSR this session is a
' bill to require licensed family day care to be smoke -free during
hours of operation. We would like to accumulate letters of
support which we can then use to pursuade legislators to support
' the bill. Would you write such a letter of support and mail it
to us as soon as possible? I have enclosed background
information which should answer any questions. If you have
additional questions or suggestions, please call Sandy or me at
' the ANSR office.
You may know other people or organizations which you think might
be willing to endorse this bill. Please let me know, or talk to
the people on your own if you feel that would be most effective.
Possible groups could be: church, medical practice, Rotary,
' PTA, or drug use prevention group.
Tha2ks,
Jeanne
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/ Mail letters of support to ANSR, 2395 University Ave.W #310, St.
// Paul, Mn 55114 -1512
To whom it may concern:
' I am writing to support the bill which would require that all
licensed day care, whether provided in a home or in a center, be
' smoke -free during hours of operation. We know without a shadow
of a doubt that tobacco smoke is bad for children. To expose
them to it for eight hour per day during the years when they are
the most vulnerable is unconscionable. It is only fair that all
' children receive this minimal level of protection from a known
poison.
1 Sincerely,
CHAPTER !NEWEL.
Of MINNESOTA
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JOHN C. HOTTINGER •
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Senator 24th District
Room G -29
State Capitol Building
St. Paul, MN 55155 Senate
(612) 296 -6153
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tate of Minnesota
December, 1992 1
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I am writing to ask for your help in passing an important law to protect children.
Involuntary smoking, breathing the smoke from other people's cigarettes, is a serious health hazard,
particularly for infants and young children. Their lungs are more sensitive and less developed and they
breathe faster, taking in more air and pollution for their size than adults. Exposure to smoke can cause I
respiratory infections, impair lung function and increase the risk of asthma. It even appears to be a
factor in deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), one third of which occur in day care. It is
important that we take all practical steps to reduce the smoke exposure of these smallest and most
vulnerable nonsmokers.
State law prohibits smoking in licensed day care centers. Since almost 100,000 Minnesota children are
in licensed family day care homes, we cannot afford to ignore the problem there. •
Last year I cosponsored legislation which would prevent smoking in licensed family day care during
hours of operation. No hearings were held. We intend to reintroduce the bill next session. 1
All tobacco bills face powerful and well funded opposition. Sadly, we do not expect this bill to be any
different. To pass will require strong support from the provider and user community. I am asking you
to support this bill with a letter of endorsement. If your organization does public policy work, I also
invite you to join in lobbying legislators for passage.
I am enclosing a copy of the bill as it was introduced last session. I dp not anticipate major changes. 1
Do not mention a bill number in the endorsement letter as it will be assigned a new number when it is
reintroduced. Since we will use the letter in both the House and the Senate and it may be shared with
several committees, the most useful salutation is "To Whom it May Concern". I have enclosed a copy I
of an endorsement from the Minnesota Public Health Association which you may use as a guide. Please
mail your letter of support to Jeanne Weigum, 2395 University Avenue West, #310, St. Paul, MN
55114. If you have any questions about the bill, you may contact me at the Capitol. Since I am a bit
difficult to reach, please contact Jeanne at 612- 646 -3005 if you need an immediate answer.
Sincerely,
John C. Hottinger
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M r COMMITTEES • Vice Chair. Local Go%ernmcnt • Education • Health and Human Services • Commerce
SUBCOMMITTEES • Chair, Higher Education • Chair. Consumer Protection and Regulated industries
12/10/91 16 :50 (RESDEPT J LS MB605
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1 A bill for an act
1 2 relating to child care; extending the prohibition on
3 smoking to family day care providers; updating the
' 4 reference to the rule governing child care centers;
5 amending Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 144.414,
6 subdivision 2.
7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 144.414,
1 9 subdivision 2, is amended to read:
11 10 Subd. 2. (DAY CARE PREMISES.) Smoking is prohibited in a
11 day care center licensed under Minnesota Rules, parts 9545;8519
12 te- 9545.9658 9503.0005 to 9503.0175, or a family or group family
13 da care rovider licensed under Minnesota Rules, parts
14 9502.0300 to 9502.0445, during its hours of operation.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT SMOKING IN
LICENSED FAMILY DAY CARE HOMES
Why is it important to prohibit smolaing in licensed family day care homes? 1
Research has shown that children exposed to others' smoking have more respiratory
infections, impaired lung functioning and a higher risk of asthma. Although exposure
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to cigarette smoke is dangerous for everyone, children are at greater risk because they
have less developed immune systems, smaller lungs, and faster rates of breathing. The
more smoke children breathe in, the more health problems they have. This bill would
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protect many of the 98,000 Minnesota children in licensed family day care.
in day
Isn't smoking already prohibited y care facilities?
Smoking is currently prohibited in licensed day care centers in Minnesota but not in
family or group family day care homes. This law would extend protection from
cigarette smoke to all children in licensed day care, regardless of the type of facility.
What if parents know their children's day care is not smoke -free but choose that home
anyway?
Licensed day care providers are currently asked to report their smoking status. Some
parents may voluntarily select a provider who smokes. These parents may not be aware
of the dangers of passive smoking or may have other considerations in choosing day
care. However, when parents choose any licensed day care facility, they should be
guaranteed that their children will be in a safe and healthy environment. They should
not have to balance the dangers of passive smoking against other factors such as cost,
convenience, availability and provider expertise.
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Should government regulate private behavior in people's own homes?
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This bill would regulate smoking in family day care homes that are licensed.
Furthermore, this regulation applies only during hours of operation. These homes have
already agreed to abide by numerous regulations. Licensing is not intended to be an
excessive burden to day care providers. It is designed to ensure a safe and healthy
environment for children in day care.
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Won't bill '
t this b discourage day care providers from becoming licensed?
No. Licensing offers many important benefits to day care providers including
reimbursement for children'sfood and placement on referral lists. In addition, many day
care providers are supportive of any regulations that contribute to the health of children.
Will day care providers who continue to smoke lose their licenses?
' A violation of this regulation would be treated like other similar violations. These
situations are usually resolved by talking with the provider and reaching solution
' acceptable to the provider and the licensing body. Licenses are generally not revoked
except in the most extreme circumstances. The purpose of this bill is not to punish
smokers that provide day care but rather to provide a healthy environment for children
in all day care facilities.
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