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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tim Solobay |
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House passes Solobay fire-safe cigarette bill
Firefighter-lawmaker says it would reduce deaths in Pa.; 20 states have such a law
HARRISBURG, Oct. 23 – Efforts by state Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington, to curb the number of fires in Pennsylvania are receiving support in the House of Representatives.
The state House today unanimously passed his legislation
(H.B. 1612) that would require cigarettes sold in Pennsylvania to meet fire-safe
standards as set by the American Society of Testing and Materials. Solobay said
fire-safe cigarettes would help to reduce the number of smoking-related fires
and deaths in Pennsylvania.
“Careless smoking is a leading cause of fires. Fire-safe cigarettes have a reduced propensity to burn when left unattended, such as when a tired smoker accidentally falls asleep at the end of the day,” said Solobay, who has been a volunteer firefighter in Canonsburg for more than 25 years.
Twenty states have passed legislation requiring the sale of fire-safe cigarettes, and 10 others, including Pennsylvania, are considering such legislation. House Bill 1612 now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
In addition, Solobay has introduced legislation that would further protect homeowners from fires by helping them install sprinkler systems. That bill is awaiting a vote in the full House.
House Bill 1144 would offer tax credits of up to $1,000 to eligible homeowners to install automatic fire sprinkler systems in their homes. The legislation was approved unanimously by the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee earlier this month.
“It is estimated that, every 78 seconds, a home burns somewhere in the United States, and nearly 3,000 Americans die in home fires every year,” Solobay said. “These two pieces of legislation would work together to better protect the citizens of Pennsylvania.”
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CONTACT: Lauren Rooney |