Republicans say they’re wary of a measure that would allow Nevada colleges to ban tobacco products on campus.
University of Nevada, Reno president Marc Johnson presented SB339 to the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
The measure would allow Nevada colleges and universities to enact more stringent restrictions on tobacco use, similar to those at K-12 schools. Johnson said that UNR wants to become tobacco-free and that the measure would help lower smoking rates for college students.
Republicans on the committee including Assemblyman Ira Hansen said they were skeptical of creating a ban that could potentially punish adult students on government property.
Johnson said that any potential ban wouldn’t include harsh punishments like suspensions.
The committee took no action on the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously in early April.
