Section 23-20.9-1. – Short title.

§ 23-20.9-1. Short title. This chapter shall be known as the “Smoking Restrictions in Schools Act”. History of Section.P.L. 1992, ch. 230, § 1.

Section 23-20.9-10. – Severability.

§ 23-20.9-10. Severability. If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstances is held invalid in a court test, this invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this […]

Section 23-20.9-11. – Preemption.

§ 23-20.9-11. Preemption. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to restrict the power or authority of any Rhode Island city, town or other legal subdivision to adopt and enforce additional local laws, ordinances, or regulations that comply with at least the minimal applicable standards to establish smoke free schools as set forth in […]

Section 23-20.9-2. – Legislative findings.

§ 23-20.9-2. Legislative findings. (a) It has been determined that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in this country. More people die from cigarette smoking and related illnesses each year than die from alcohol, traffic accidents, cocaine and heroin, AIDS, murder, and suicide combined. Second hand tobacco smoke alone causes up […]

Section 23-20.9-3. – Legislative intent — Purpose.

§ 23-20.9-3. Legislative intent — Purpose. As tobacco now kills over four hundred and thirty-four thousand (434,000) people in the United States each year, it is the intent of this health legislation to eliminate the exposure of children attending school, and other persons working in schools, to the school-site health hazard of tobacco smoke and […]

Section 23-20.9-4. – Definitions.

§ 23-20.9-4. Definitions. As used in this chapter: (1) “Electronic nicotine-delivery system usage” means any vaping, inhaling, or use of any device defined in § 11-9-13.4. (2) “Governing body” means the body, board, committee or individual, or its designated agent(s) or designee(s), responsible for, or who or that has control over, the administration of any […]

Section 23-20.9-5. – Regulation of smoking in schools.

§ 23-20.9-5. Regulation of smoking in schools. (a) The governing body of each school in Rhode Island shall be responsible for the development of enforcement procedures to prohibit tobacco product usage and electronic nicotine-delivery system usage by any person utilizing school facilities. All facilities used by a school, whether owned, leased, or rented, shall be […]

Section 23-20.9-6. – Repealed.

§ 23-20.9-6. Repealed.

Section 23-20.9-7. – Non-smoking program — Employees.

§ 23-20.9-7. Non-smoking program — Employees. The governing body of each school in Rhode Island shall devise and implement a plan to provide smoking cessation programs for all employees who smoke and work with its jurisdiction. The programs shall be implemented at a central location within the geographic area under the jurisdiction of the governing […]

Section 23-20.9-8. – Penalties and enforcement.

§ 23-20.9-8. Penalties and enforcement. (a) The Rhode Island department of health, having received a written and signed letter of complaint from a person, whose identity shall remain confidential, citing a school’s violation of this chapter, shall enforce this entire chapter against violations by the following actions: (1) Serving written notice to comply to the […]

Section 23-20.9-9. – Clinical use of tobacco products.

§ 23-20.9-9. Clinical use of tobacco products. The prohibitions of this chapter shall not apply to the use of a tobacco product if used as part of a limited classroom demonstration to show the health hazards of tobacco. History of Section.P.L. 1992, ch. 230, § 1.