A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit smoking in any facility of the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-s-2119
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2017-11-13
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2017-11-13
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7178)

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-11-13
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill phases in smoking prohibitions at Veterans Health Administration facilities.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2119 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 13, 2017 Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Markey , Mr. Reed , Mr. Brown , Mr. Wyden , and Mrs. Murray ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit smoking in any facility of the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes.

1. Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration (a) Prohibition Section 1715 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 1715. Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration (a) Prohibition (1) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), no person may smoke indoors in any facility of the Veterans Health Administration. (B) In the case of a facility of the Veterans Health Administration that is a community living center, no person may smoke indoors in such facility on or after December 31, 2018. (2) No person may smoke outdoors in any facility of the Veterans Health Administration on or after October 1, 2021. (b) Definitions In this section: (1) The term community living center means a facility of the Department that provides nursing home care. (2) The term facility of the Veterans Health Administration means any land or building (including any medical center, nursing home, domiciliary facility, outpatient clinic, or center that provides readjustment counseling) that is— (A) under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs; (B) under the control of the Veterans Health Administration; and (C) not under the control of the General Services Administration. (3) The term smoke includes the smoking of cigarettes (including e-cigarettes or electronic cigarettes), cigars, pipes, and any other combustion of tobacco. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 1715 and inserting the following new item: 1715. Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration. . (c) Conforming amendment Section 526 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 ( Public Law 102–585 ; 38 U.S.C. 1715 note) is hereby repealed. (d) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.