Tobacco Free on Sunday

Tobacco users in government office buildings managed by the Department of Central Services - including the Capitol - to get an early jump on how to avoid smoking or chewing while you work. Executive Order Governor Mary Fallin in February does not take effect until next month, but effective Sunday, 18 buildings in the capitol complex and state office buildings in the city of Tulsa to be Tobacco Free Initiative, said John Morrison, administrator of the Central Services Department.

"We just decided to go ahead and do it," said Morrison. "There was nothing to prevent the movement of the Agencies that before." The mood in the smoking room in the basement of the Capitol was a grim Friday the last day of a room with no windows were open to smokers who work in the building. Handwritten note on a piece of paper attached to the wall, as she announced the governor issued to "the end is near." Friday, someone crossed out the word "next" and replaced it with "now". Five smokers in a small room that can accommodate up to 13 people on Friday afternoon. One smoker said he would try to do without smoking in the workplace, while others did not know where they go to smoke. One woman, who works at the Capitol, said that she plans to go round the building and smoke. Fallin announced its proclamations during her State of the State address on February 6, to begin four months of the session of the legislature. Implementation will take place no later than six months after its proclamation, and on August 6, when the tobacco products in all public and leased properties and state-owned and leased buildings and vehicles will be prohibited. Her announcement drew applause, but the groans were heard seconds later, the House of Representatives chamber, when it announced a ban would mean the closure of the smoking room of the Capitol for legislators and staff. The governor planned to reconstruct the building at no cost to the state in a small fitness center. The state received a grant from the tobacco settlement trust and Oklahoma Hospital Association has agreed to match it. "It is planned that currently use more space than provided in the smoking room," said Alex Weintz, communications director in Fallin. "This smoking room will no longer be used as a smoking room. Although we do not believe that it will be used in the future, will likely have to be decontaminated first. "While the governor's ban on the use of tobacco in public places comes into force on 6 August agencies have the right to a tobacco-free policy before," he said. Fallin said the goals of the tobacco ban are to protect the health of workers and people attending public properties. It is also intended to reduce a major factor in increasing health care costs for state employees, reducing absenteeism and improving employee productivity, according to the governor's office. The ban is expected to save the state $ 5.2 million per year. Smoking causes a number of death in Oklahoma and the United States, said the governor's office. Fallin made the ban effective for several months from now, to give government officials time to consider the adoption of smoking cessation programs. Pet breeder of change Effective Sunday, the council was formed two years ago to regulate the commercial breeders have officially disbanded. The duties of the Council of Oklahoma commercial pet breeders are now borne by the State of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. Emergency regulations, establishing rules, fees, procedures and guidelines were approved late last month. In accordance with existing rules, only animal breeders with 11 or more females are subject to state regulation. Unspayed woman at least 9 months is considered to be breeding female. Many of the emergency rules are similar to existing rules on the model of care and treatment standards, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Emergency rules may take up to shortly after the legislative session in late May. Work will begin to develop a permanent rule in September or October. Sex Offenders The bill, passed last year, extending a ban on more than one sex offender living in a house or apartment to include mobile homes, and shall come into force on Sunday. Hands Up Ministries, a nonprofit organization that provides housing for more than 200 registered sex offenders in Oklahoma City mobile home parks, tried unsuccessfully in court to stop enforcement of the law, which makes about 90 residents to move. Hands Up Ministries wanted the judge to halt the execution of the law, could not yet determine whether it is the Constitution. Human rights Sunday also marks the end of the Oklahoma Commission for Human Rights, which was established nearly 50 years ago. The Human Rights Commission was established measure came into force in 1963, then-Gov. Henry Bellmon. The bill, passed last year, the place of his duties with the Office of the Attorney General, as part of the governor's plan to combine several agencies. Effective Sunday, the Office of Civil Rights in the Attorney General's office will handle the duties of the commission, which include complaints of discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or age. The Commission also accepts, maintains and reports on complaints of profiling based on race or national origin. Pseudoephedrine The bill aims to reduce the production of methamphetamine comes into force on Sunday. House Bill 2941 restricts the purchase of pseudo ephedrine and improved electronic tracking system of Oklahoma sales of the drug. Pseudoephedrine is a common ingredient in cold and allergy medicine that is used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. HB 2941 limits the procurement decongestant to 3.6 grams per day, or 15 tablets of 24-hour pseudoephedrine. Monthly purchases are limited to 7.2 grams, compared with 9 grams, and annual purchases should not exceed 60 grams, less than 108 grams. It establishes a system, regardless of public procurement can be traced with in public procurement. It also allows pharmacies to charge for the service, someone who can not legally buy the product tries to do it. Tracking system to block someone who over the limit on the purchase of the product. Promissory notes with the support of prosecutors, who demanded a prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine failed to win legislative approval this year. Fiscal year Sunday and the beginning of fiscal year 2013 for the state. $ 6.8 billion budget allocated by the legislature formally enters into force. That's about 3.1 percent more than the $ 6.6 billion, lawmakers allocated for 2012 fiscal year.