FreedomWorks Defeats North Carolina Smoking Ban!

In a major North Carolina property rights victory, H259, the bill that would “Prohibit Smoking in Public and Work Places,” was defeated yesterday at the state house in Raleigh.

It was a good day for those who value private property rights. By a six vote margin, H259 failed on its second reading. Nineteen Democrats voted against the proposal and eight Republicans supported it.

During the floor debate, which lasted for more than two hours, property rights advocates questioned the state’s right to make a legal activity illegal on private property. Others expressed concern about punishing property owners for the actions of their patrons. House Minority Leader Stam stated, “This bill is well-intentioned and it may have good effects if passed but it does not protect private property rights or due process rights.”

To the sixty-one legislators who stood in opposition to H259: On behalf of our more than 32,000 North Carolina members, please accept our sincerest thank you!

H259 violated the liberty FreedomWorks holds so dear. This issue has deeply concerned our activists who spent many hours working in opposition to the ban. From literature drops and legislative visits to telephoning and e-mailing legislators, thank you for making your voices heard. Thank you for standing for private property rights!

Sincerely,

Kathy Hartkopf
Legislative Liason
FreedomWorks North Carolina