Tobacco use could be prohibited at off-campus school events

The Education Committee heard testimony Feb. 8 on a bill related to schools’ tobacco policies.

LB313, introduced by Omaha Sen. Jeremy Nordquist, would require school and education boards to adopt appropriate policies which prohibit tobacco use by students, staff and visitors on school property and persons attending off-campus school-sponsored events. The bill also would hold school and education boards responsible for enforcing those rules.

School property that is owned, leased, rented or otherwise used by a school, would include:

• interior portions of any building used for instruction, administration, support services, maintenance, storage or any other structure used by a school;
• school grounds and any surrounding building including a playground, athletic field, recreation area or parking area; and
• vehicles used by the school for the purpose of transporting students, staff or any other persons.

School nonsmoking policies vary widely across the state, Nordquist said. Thirty percent of schools have banned tobacco products, he said, but LB313 would make policies consistent statewide.

David Holmquist, lobbyist for the American Cancer Society of Nebraska, testified in support of the bill.

Many school districts do not have restrictions on smoking or chewing tobacco on outdoor school grounds or other school property, Holmquist said.

“This is a critical step in fostering an environment we want our young people to live in,” he said.

No opposition testimony was given, and the committee took no immediate action on the bill.