A new bill filed for Louisiana’s current legislative session could butt in on the University’s upcoming smoke-free policy.
Rep. Pat Connick has proposed legislation that, if signed into law, would impose a $300 fine and eight hours of community service on smokers who throw their cigarette butts on the ground.
Kurt Keppler, vice chancellor for Student Life and Enrollment at the University, said the bill itself is not uncommon in other states, and many other states have similar penalties for littering.
“This is not a unique piece of legislation,” Keppler said. “What’s unique is the timing.”
Keppler is the chair of the smoke-free policy committee, which is charged with the task of developing a smoke-free policy to be approved by University President F. King Alexander by Aug. 1.
Keppler said he did not think the proposed bill would affect the University’s eventual policy, and he expressed confidence that the policy would be successful.
“I don’t know how [the bill would affect the policy], because no cigarette butts would be thrown because no one would be smoking,” Keppler said.
Keppler said the bill was a step in the right direction.
“It seems like it supports the concept of not having smoking on campus,” Keppler said. “I think it could be positive.”
Keppler said he will be “relying on the community” to ensure the success of the University’s smoke-free policy, as the LSU Police Department will not be enforcing whatever policy is approved, according to LSUPD spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde.
“We, as law enforcement, enforce laws. We don’t enforce policies,” Lalonde said.
However, he also said LSUPD would be required to enforce the potential butt law, should it become law.
“We’re going to enforce it. We don’t dictate what laws we’re going to enforce,” Lalonde said.
Connick said he was looking to amend the bill to penalize smokers who litter outside of cars as well.
“It’s just second nature to throw your butts wherever you want to,” Connick said.
Connick said current state laws impose a $250 fine and eight hours of community service for littering, and justified his proposed $50 increase in fines by saying cigarette butts are the No. 1 litter problem in the United States.
“If you get hit with a fine, you’re not going to do it again,” Connick said.