Basham releases the names of the lawmakers who did not sign the Smokefree Pledge

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, released the names of the Legislators who signed and who did not sign the Smokefree Pledge to work to pass the workplace smoking ban, including bars and restaurants.

Even though a majority of lawmakers voted for the indoor smoking ban in the last legislative session that ended on Dec. 30, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop sabotaged the Conference Committee process. So far, only 26 of the 148 lawmakers have signed it, but with 46 new Representatives in the House and because session is less than a month old, there is no reason to be disappointed or discouraged.

“Secondhand smoke exposure continues to be a major health risk for patrons and workers alike, and a major strain on state-funded medical care later as people face health issues like asthma, emphysema and cancer,” Basham said. “It’s also good for the economy, as Michigan workers would no longer have to choose between breathing in secondhand smoke and getting a paycheck.”

It was only the public pressure that forced Bishop to allow a vote in the Senate on the ban that passed 25-12 in the Senate last May. It will be that public pressure that gets Senate Bill 114 passed.

“With the overwhelming public support of this issue and the continued findings on the negative impacts of secondhand smoke, we need to make smokefree workplaces a top priority, and I encourage my fellow lawmakers to do so,” Basham said. “People deserve to know why this issue still hasn’t been addressed, and which of their lawmakers are trying to make progress on this.”

Obviously, some lawmakers are on the list simply because of an oversight because many on the list voted for the ban last year.

Those Senators who have not signed the pledge include:
Jason Allen, Bishop, Cameron Brown, Nancy Cassis, Irma Clark-Coleman, Alan Cropsey, Valde Garcia, Tom George, Jud Gilbert, Bill Hardiman, Mark Jansen, Ron Jelinek, Roger Kahn, Wayne Kuipers, Michelle McManus, John Pappageorge, Randy Richardville, Alan Sanborn, Tony Stamas, and Gerald Van Woerkom.

State Representatives who have not signed the pledge include:
Dave Agema, Justin Amash, Kathy Angerer, Vicki Barnett, Doug Bennett, Tim Bledsoe, James Bolger, Darwin Boohee, Lisa Brown, Terry Brown, Pam Byrnes, Dianne Byrum, Brian Calley, Bill Caul, Ed Clemente, Bettie Cook-Scott, Marc Corriveau, Hugh Crawford, George Cushingberry, Kevin Daley, Cindy Denby, Larry DeShazor, Andy Dillon, Marie Donigan, Fred Durhal, Kevin Elsenheimer, John Espinoza, Doug Geiss, Bob Genetski, Lee Gonzales, Kevin Green, Vincent Gregory, Martin Griffin, Jennifer Haase, Gail Haines, Richard Hammel, Geoff Hansen, Harold Haugh, Joseph Haveman, Dave Hildenbrand, Kenneth Horn, Mike Huckleberry, Shanelle Jackson, Bert Johnson, Rick Jones, Robert Jones, Andy Kandrevas, Deb Kennedy, Marty Knollenberg, Eileen Kowall, Kenneth Kurtz, Mike Lahti, Richard LeBlanc, Gabe Leland, LaMar Lemmons, Pete Lund, James Marleau, Jeff Mayes, Gary McDowell, Tom McMillin, Mark Meadows, Arlan Meekhof, Kim Meltzer, Tim Moore, Chuck Moss, David Nathan, Judy Nerat, Paul Opsommer, Phil Pavlov, Tom Pearce, Gino Polidori, John Proos, Sarah Roberts, Tory Rocca, Bill Rogers, Roy Schmidt, Wayne Schmidt, Tonya Schuitmaker, Dan Scripps, Joel Sheltrown, Mike Simpson, Jim Slezak, Dudley Spade, Jim Stamas, Woodrow Stanley, Jon Switalski, Rashida Tlaib, Sharon Tyler, John Walsh, Jimmy Womack, and Coleman Young.

Contact your Senator and Representative and gently ask then to sign the pledge and become a member of the bicameral, bipartisan anti-smoking caucus.

Here’s the simply and short pledge just in case they don’t have it:

I , __________________________________, pledge to support a
comprehensive smoke-free workplace law to protect all Michigan workers.


______________________________________ ____________________________

signature date