Jump to full article: San Diego (CA) Union-Tribune, 2002-07-09
Author: James P. Sweeney / COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
Intro: A verbal donnybrook erupted Tuesday when public health advocates accused a state senator and others of disguising a major tobacco industry bill as part of a new state budget.
Lisa Rea, a lobbyist for the American Heart Association, was describing the legislation as "a last-minute move ... written by the tobacco industry" when an incensed Sen. Steve Peace jumped to his feet and interrupted her.
"You're a liar," Peace shouted. "I'm not going to sit here and listen to it. ... You're a liar, Lisa." . .
The outburst and ugly confrontation that followed was unusual because Democrats like Peace typically have been aligned with public health groups as California enacted some of the nation's toughest anti-smoking laws.
But Rea noted that Dan Howle, Peace's former chief of staff and an erstwhile tobacco industry lobbyist, was behind the original push for the legislation. Peace confirmed that, saying Howle was uniquely qualified to negotiate with his former employers. . .
But health advocates believe that by creating a statewide licensing system for tobacco retailers, the bill contains "implied pre-emption" of local efforts to curb tobacco sales to minors.
Pre-emption of local governments is a top tobacco industry priority. . . "We're frankly tired of trying to make a bad bill better," the lung association's Knepprath said. "I have not seen any anti-pre-emption language that satisfies our concerns."
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