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FAQ for the Smoke-Free Law |
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From the Michigan State Medical Society
Campaign for Smokefree Air
“Frequently Asked Questions” about the New Smoke-free Act
December 18, 2009
The Dr. Ron Davis Smoke-free Act was signed into law on Dec. 18, 2009,
and will go into effect on May 1, 2010. Following are answers to
questions about what the law entails and how it will be enforced:
What does the smoke-free law cover?
The law will cover any workplace and any food service establishment. A
workplace is a site employing at least one person. A food service
establishment is any place with license to serve food or beverages.
This includes any public place—restaurants, bars, shopping malls,
bowling alleys, concert halls, arenas, museums, mechanic shops , health
facilities, nursing homes, education facilities and child care centers.
Does this include restaurant patios?
Yes, these outdoor areas where food and beverage may be served will be smoke-free. This includes patios at bars and restaurants.
What about VFW halls or other private clubs?
They will be smoke-free. Any establishment that serves food and
drink—which requires a license—cannot allow smoking, even if it only
serves once a week or once a year. If they don’t serve food and drink,
but employ at least one person, they must be smoke-free.
What about casinos?
The only place you can smoke in a casino is on the gaming floors of Detroit’s three casinos. Every bar, restaurant, hotel room, conference
room and lobby outside the gaming space will be smoke-free. State law
does not govern Native American land, so smoking may be allowed at
tribal casinos.
What about cigar bars and tobacco shops?
Smoking may be allowed at existing cigar bars that have a humidor and
derive at least 10 percent of their revenue from cigar sales.
Also, smoking may be allowed at tobacco specialty shops with 75 percent
of sales coming from tobacco products. Tobacco shops cannot serve food
or drink.
What about hookah bars?
Hookah bars can operate as tobacco specialty shops, but they can’t serve food or drink.
What happens if smoking is occurring?
If someone is smoking, the owner or manager is required to ask them to
stop. If they don’t, the owner or manager is required to deny service
and asked the smoking patron to leave. If they still don’t stop, police
could be called.
What happens if an establishment is allowing smoking?
If a bar or restaurant is allowing smoking, the local health department
can be asked to investigate. Then, it is handled in a similar fashion
to any other health issue, like spoiled food.
If the establishment doesn’t stop the smoking, the health department can shut them down.
Is there a penalty?
The fine for smoking in a smoke-free establishment will be $100 for the
first offense and up to $500 for subsequent violations. The restaurant,
bar, worksite and/or smoking patron/employee can be fined.
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News Release Regarding NCLB |
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From: Duncan, Arne <
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>
Date: Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 9:08 AM
Subject: [ED_Review] President Obama's FY 2011 Budget
To:
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Dear Education Stakeholders:
By now, I expect you've heard the good news. In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) - "when" we reauthorize, not "if," he emphasized - and, at a time when most government spending is frozen, the President proposed a significant increase in discretionary spending for education in his fiscal year 2011 budget.
The
President's budget continues and expands his commitment to provide a
cradle-to-career education for all of America's children. It provides
a massive increase in student aid - $156 billion in fiscal year 2011,
up from $98 billion in 2008. That's enough to provide federal
assistance to nearly 15 million students, or 3 out of 5 students
currently enrolled in higher education. The budget also will make it
easier for borrowers to repay their loans, lowering income-based
repayments and cutting the length of their repayments.
In K-12
education, the President will propose a $4 billion increase, including
the previously announced $1.35 billion request to make Race to the Top
a permanent program. Of that increase, $1 billion would be made available through a budget amendment when Congress
completes an ESEA reauthorization consistent with the President's
plan.
The budget also supports enactment of pending
legislation that would provide $9.3 billion over 10 years for the Early
Learning Challenge Fund, providing competitive grants to states that
expand quality early learning experiences from birth through
kindergarten entry.
Along with the increases, the budget will
require us to work smarter and more efficiently. We expect to save
billions by switching from the Federal Family Education Loan program to the Direct Loan program. In K-12 education, we will provide states and districts more
flexibility by consolidating 38 programs into 11, and we will cut six
programs that are ineffective or duplicative.
The budget will
set the stage for ESEA reauthorization but there is still much more
work ahead. With a bipartisan group of members of Congress, our goal
is to develop an accountability system built on greater transparency,
incentives and rewards, and a focus on turning around persistently
underperforming schools.
We can't wait to make these
reforms. Right now, 25 percent of our students fail to graduate high
school, and as many as 60 percent of college freshmen need remedial
education. Millions of jobs are unfilled for lack of qualified
applicants. The President and I know that we need to educate our way
to a better economy. I am honored to be working with you to make it
happen.
Sincerely,
/s/ Arne Duncan
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Richter is considered one of the foremost German artists of the post-World War II period, and the prices his paintings fetch at auction reflect this distinction. Unwilling to settle on any one approach, Richter has varied his style from austere photorealism to pure abstraction. Richter's photo-paintings, which reproduce photographic images on canvas in exacting detail, explore the tension between reality and its depiction, between process and material. Where did Richter train? 