California Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) has filed a bill that seeks to ban the smoking of tobacco products and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping devices at all public schools in the California State University system and community colleges. While it doesn’t apply to the University of California (“UC”) schools, it includes a formal encouragement to enact a similar ban.

In addition, Assembly Bill 1594 provides for a fine of up to $100 for those who violate it, should it be enacted.

The bill now heads to committee hearings, where according to the state’s bill tracking website it could be heard as early as Feb. 6.

The California State University system had a total enrollment of 460,200 people in the Fall 2014 semester, while the California Community Colleges had approximately 2.3 million students enrolled in 2013.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.