LC 39 4817S
The House Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to HR 304:
A RESOLUTION
Creating the House Study Committee on the Costs and Effects of Smoking; and for other1
purposes.2
WHEREAS, smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the3
body; and4
WHEREAS, more than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking;5
and6
WHEREAS, for every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a7
serious smoking related illness; and8
WHEREAS, smoking causes cancer, heart disease, vascular disease, lung diseases, diabetes,9
and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic10
bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems11
of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis; and12
WHEREAS, secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among13
nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year. Secondhand smoke causes stroke,14
- 1 - LC 39 4817S
lung cancer, coronary heart disease, and reproductive health complications in adults. 15
Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death16
syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma,17
respiratory symptoms, and slowed lung growth; and18
WHEREAS, smoking related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion each19
year, including more than $225 billion for direct medical care for adults and more than $15620
billion in lost productivity, including $5.6 billion in lost productivity due to secondhand21
smoke exposure; and22
WHEREAS, it would be beneficial to examine the cost of smoking, including short-term and23
long-term health care costs, the impact on Medicaid and Medicare, childhood health costs24
resulting from secondhand smoke exposure, and the loss of worker productivity attributed25
to smoking.26
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:27
(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee28
on the Costs and Effects of Smoking.29
(2) Members and officers.30
(A) The committee shall be composed of five members of the House of31
Representatives.32
(B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint all members of the33
committee and shall designate one of such members as chairperson.34
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,35
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or36
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.37
- 2 - LC 39 4817S
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee38
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or39
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and40
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.41
(5) Allowances and funding. The members of the committee shall receive the42
allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia43
Annotated. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any44
member of the committee for more than three days unless additional days are authorized. 45
Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds46
appropriated to the House of Representatives.47
(6) Report.48
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that49
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the50
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to51
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.52
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for53
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)54
of this paragraph.55
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of56
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. 57
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairpersons and filed with the Clerk of the58
House of Representatives.59
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the60
House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu61
thereof.62
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.63
- 3 -