A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO protect children in the public schools from exposure to tobacco by requiring local boards of education to adopt written policies prohibiting the use of tobacco products by any person in public school buildings and school facilities, on the public school campus, and in or on other school property.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 155C‑407 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑407.  Policy prohibiting tobacco use in school buildings and the surrounding school campus.
Local boards of education shall adopt and enforce a written policy prohibiting at all times the use by any person of any tobacco product in a school building, school facility, on the surrounding public school campus, and in or on any other school property owned or operated by the local school administrative unit. The policy shall include at least the following:
		
	(1a)	Adequate notice to students and school personnel of the policy and sanctions for violation of the policy.
(2a)	Posting signs prohibiting the use of tobacco products by any person at all times.
(3)	Sanctions for violation of the policy by any person. Such sanctions may include participation in an approved smoking cessation program.
(4)	Requirements that school personnel enforce the policy.
Nothing in this section, G.S. 143‑595 through G.S. 143‑601, or any other section prohibits a local board of education from adopting and enforcing a more restrictive policy on the use of tobacco in school buildings, in school facilities, on school campuses, or at school‑related or school‑sponsored events, and in or on other school property."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law except that local boards of education shall have until January 1, 2008, to comply with G.S. 115C‑407, as amended by this act.