First up, SB150 author, Senator Fred Risser

Senator Risser was first to testify, explaining to the committee that this is a health issue, not a marketing issue. Society has a duty and obligation to protect the health of Wisconsin citizens. To paraphrase his words, "there’s a reason why nearly half of American citizens live in communities covered by smoke-free laws; there's a reason why every health care building is smoke-free...the reason is society supports healthy workplaces for their workers, whether in the public or private sector."


Another strong point made by Senator Risser -- a point repeated by numerous testifiers questioning the logic of the opposition -- is that Tavern League of Wisconsin has asked for a level playing field in the past, and we are now granting them their wish: a smoke-free law that puts all taverns, restaurants and workplaces on a level playing field.

Smoke-free advocates outnumbering opposition 3 to 1...

Apologies for the lack of posts this afternooon; unfortunately, our wireless signal couldn't be picked up in the hearing room. However, I documented many testimonies, and I am happy to share with you some of the highlights from the afternoon!

First and foremost, the Senate Committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy announced they had 200 to 300 hearing slips, with those speaking in favor of SB150 outnumbering those speaking against 3 to 1.

It's almost 4pm now, and the room is still packed, with many folks patiently waiting to testify. Although I couldn't update the blog with testimonies as they occurred, I will be looking over my notes and updating you all shortly. Thanks for your patience!

Less than an Hour to Go!

An overwhelming amount of smoke-free air supporters are already at the Capitol, with the SB150 committee hearing commencing in just under an hour!

Currently, tobacco control advocates from all over the state are meeting with their legislators, educating them on why smoke-free air policies are strong, effective policies for the health of Wisconsin citizens.

I'll be back in an hour with our first set of testimonies from the bill sponsors themselves, and I'll be updating you all afternoon long with the latest hearing news!

It’s time to make our voices heard.

It’s time to make our voices heard.

Make your voice heard at the Senate hearing on the smoke free air bill, SB 150, next week, May 31 at 1:00 pm.

The hearing next week is an opportunity for every day people like you and me to tell our legislators that it is our right to have smoke free environments. It is our opportunity to protect all workers from the dangers of second hand smoke. It is our responsibility to protect the children of our community from tobacco.

For more info on the hearing, click here

Details about the hearing:

What: The hearing will be before the Senate Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy Committee.
Where: State Capitol, Room 411 south
When: Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 1:00 p.m.
Why: It’s time to exercise our rights with our government; It is our right to breathe free
How to get there: Carpool, drive, bike, walk---or take a free bus:

Info on the buses: If you want to ride a bus, please RSVP to Martha Baxter at martha.Baxter@cancer.org ASAP! Buses are first come first serve and we need a head count so we can have the right number of buses.

Eau Claire/Altoona:

Bus Depart:

LOADING AT 7:45 A.M. – DEPART 8:00 AM
ACS Office Eau Claire
2427 N Hillcrest Pkwy
Altoona, WI 54720

Bus Return: Madison between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

Green Bay/DePere:
Bus Depart: LOADING AT 7:45 A.M. – DEPART 8:00 AM
ACS DePere Office
3311 S Packerland Dr, Suite A
DePere, WI 54115

One stop in Appleton at the Target located at Fox River Mall, located between the College Ave and WI Ave exits.

Bus Return: Madison between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

La Crosse:

Bus Depart: LOADING AT 7:45 A.M. – DEPART 8:00 AM
Valley View Mall Park & Ride
3800 State Rd 16. Hwy 16 & Theatre Rd closest Intersection
(located between Valley View Mall, Sears end, and Chucke Cheese)

Bus Return: Madison between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

Quintuple bypass, heart valve replacement, and kidney failure: What heart disease and secondhand smoke mean to me, Part II

A few weeks ago I introduced you to my Dad, Henry. A year and a half ago he had a quintuple bypass and a metal valve placed in his heart. After his open heart surgery, his kidneys failed completely and he was put on dialysis. Luckily, I was able to donate one of my kidneys to my father and I'm very proud to say that today is the one year anniversary of our operation. I'm overjoyed to report that both my Dad and I are doing great.
What does this have to do with smoke free air? The answer is everything.

Heart disease affects millions of people every year and it is estimated that 771 non-smoking Wisconsinites die every year from heart disease caused by secondhand smoke exposure. Before you take your next trip to a smoky bar, let me tell you what heart surgery really means (I'll save the details of a kidney transplant for later).

To begin with, two years ago my Dad passed his cardiac stress test. Five months later he was back at the hospital for an unrelated issue. It ended up being a longer stay than he had bargained for. For five days he waited for the doctors to figure out what was going on with his heart. On the sixth day he had his heart surgery. When you have heart surgery, they literally cut open your chest. My Dad said that if felt like he'd been run over by truck. After the surgery, my Mom and I greeted him in intensive care. His body was swollen like nothing I'd ever seen before, and although he said he knew that my Mom and I were in the room, he couldn't talk to us. Thankfully his recovery process went smoothly, but it was still no picnic to be in the hospital for 5 days. As a result of his new metal heart valve, my Dad has to be on a blood thinning drug called Coumadin. Every week he gets blood drawn to make sure that his blood is not too thin or too thick. When you take Coumadin like my Dad does, you have to stop eating many common foods, including garlic and green leafy vegetables.

Like I said, my Dad is doing great, but he and my family have been through a lot. It makes me think twice before I go to a smoky bar. As long as even one person is smoking, it's just not safe. Even ventilation systems don't get rid of the disease-causing chemicals of cigarettes. Is that night out really worth the risk? The easy answer is no, but here's what I want you to consider. You and I might have the choice about whether or not to go to a smoky bar, but what if your job depended on it? Right now there are many places across Wisconsin where hospitality workers are exposed to secondhand smoke their entire shifts, day in and day out. Is it really fair to tell them that they have to choose between their health and a good job?