GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2007

 

 

SESSION LAW 2007-114

SENATE BILL 862

 

 

AN ACT TO ALLOW REGULATION OF SMOKING ON THE CAMPUSES OF THE UNC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, THE FACILITIES OF THE EAST CAROLINA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND PHYSICIANS PRACTICE PLAN, AND THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS OF THE CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

SECTION 1.  G.S. 143‑596 reads as rewritten:

"§ 143‑596.  Definitions.

As used in this Article, unless the context clearly provides otherwise:

(1)       Constituent institution. – As defined in G.S. 116‑2(4) and G.S. 116‑4.

(1a)     Grounds. – The area located and controlled by State government that is within 100 linear feet of any of the following:

a.         A State‑owned building allocated to and occupied by State government.

b.         A State‑owned building leased to a third party.

c.         A building owned by a third party and leased to State government.

(1)(1b)"Local government" means anyLocal government. – The local political subdivision of the State or any authority or body created by any ordinance or rules of any such entity.

(1c)     Medical Faculty Practice Plan. – As defined in G.S. 116‑40.6.

(2)       "Nonsmoking area" means anyNonsmoking area. – Any designated area where smoking is not permitted.

(3)       "Public meeting" means any Public meeting. – Any assemblage authorized by State or local government or any subdivision of State or local government.

(4)       "Restaurant" means any Restaurant. – Any building, structure, or area having a seating capacity of 50 or more patrons where food is available for eating on the premises in consideration of payment. The following are not included in determining seating capacity:

a.         Seats in any bar or lounge area of a restaurant.

b.         Seats in any separate room or section of a restaurant which is used exclusively for private functions.

c.         Seats in any open outside area.

(5)       "Smoke" or "smokes" or "smoking" means the Smoke, smokes, or smoking. – The use or possession of a lighted cigarette, lighted cigar, lighted pipe, or any other lighted tobacco product.

(6)       "State government" means the State government. – The political unit for the State of North Carolina; including all agencies of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government.

(7)       The University of North Carolina. – As defined in Chapter 116 of the General Statutes.

(8)       The University of North Carolina Health Care System. – As defined in G.S. 116‑37."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 143‑597 reads as rewritten:

"§ 143‑597.  Nonsmoking areas in State‑controlled buildings.

(a)       All of the following areas may be designated as nonsmoking in buildings owned, leased, or occupied by State government:

(1)       Any library open to the public.

(2)       Any museum open to the public.

(3)       Any area established as a nonsmoking area, so long as at least twenty percent (20%) of the interior space of equal quality to that of the nonsmoking area shall be designated as a smoking area, unless physically impracticable. If physically impracticable, the person in charge of the facility shall provide an adequate smoking area within the facility as near as feasible to twenty percent (20%) of the interior space.

(4)       Any indoor space in a State‑controlled building such as an auditorium, arena, or coliseum, or an appurtenant building thereof; except that a designated area for smoking shall be established in lobby areas.

(5)       Any educational buildings primarily involved in health care instruction.instruction and the grounds of those buildings.

(6)       Except as provided in G.S. 143‑599(11), any facilities of The University of North Carolina health services facilities, wellness centers, enclosed physical education facilities, enclosed student recreational centers, laboratories, or residence halls, provided that each and the grounds of those facilities. Each constituent institution institution, except for the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, shall make a reasonable effort to provide residential smoking rooms in residence halls in proportion to student demand for those rooms. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "facilities" includes all of the following:

a.         State‑owned buildings allocated to and occupied by The University of North Carolina.

b.         State‑owned buildings allocated to The University of North Carolina and leased to a third party.

c.         The area of any building owned by a third party and occupied by The University of North Carolina as lessee.

(7)       The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

(a1)     All areas of any building occupied by the General Assembly shall be designated as nonsmoking areas.

(b)       Any area designated as nonsmoking or smoking shall be established by the appropriate department, institution, agency, or person in charge of the State‑controlled building or area, except as specified in subsection (a1). The person in charge of the building shall conspicuously post or cause to be posted, in any area designated as a smoking or nonsmoking area, one or more signs stating that smoking is or is not permitted in the area.

(c)       Where a nonsmoking area is designated, existing physical barriers and ventilation systems shall be used where appropriate to minimize smoke from adjacent areas. This subsection shall not be construed to require fixed structural or other physical modification in providing these areas or to require installation or operation of any heating, ventilating, or air‑conditioning system in any manner which adds expense."

SECTION 3.  G.S. 143‑599 reads as rewritten:

"§ 143‑599.  Exemptions.

All of the following facilities shall be exempt from the provisions of this Article:

(1)       Any primary or secondary school or child care center, except for a teacher's lounge.

(2)       An enclosed elevator.

(3)       Public school bus.

(4)       Hospital, nursing home, rest home, and State facility operated under the authority of G.S. 122C‑181.

(5)       Local health department and local department of social services and the building and grounds where the local health department or local department of social services, as applicable, is located. For the purposes of this subdivision, "grounds" means the area located within 50 linear feet of a local health department or a local department of social services.

(6)       Any nonprofit organization or corporation whose primary purpose is to discourage the use of tobacco products by the general public.

(7)       Tobacco manufacturing, processing, and administrative facilities.

(8)       Indoor arenas with a seating capacity greater than 23,000.

(9)       State correctional facilities operated by the Department of Correction.

(10)     Community colleges.

(11)     The buildings, grounds, and walkways of the University of North Carolina Health Care System and of the East Carolina University School of Medicine, Health Sciences Complex, and Medical Faculty Practice Plan."

SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 20th day of June, 2007.

 

 

                                                                    s/ Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         President of the Senate

 

 

                                                                    s/ Joe Hackney

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

                                                                    s/ Michael F. Easley

                                                                         Governor

 

 

Approved 4:44 p.m. this 27th day of June, 2007