The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is in the process of writing Administrative Rules to provide guidance on the enforcement provisions of the recently passed Smoke-free Air Act.  The proposed Administrative rules areposted on the Department’s website.

The proposed rules will be presented for review to both the Administrative Rules Review Committee and the Iowa Board of Health on June 11, 2008. IDPH will be scheduling five regional public hearings and numerous conferences through the Iowa Communications Network to gather input from the public. The schedule of these public hearings will be posted on this Web site when it becomes available.

IDPH has also posted proposed signage for workplaces and vehicles. The signs need to clearly display three items: (1) the international “no smoking” symbol OR the words “No Smoking,” (2) the Smokefree Air Act Web site, and the (3) Smokefree Air Act Helpline 1-888-944-2247 (active June 15). The current draft Administrative Rules require signs to be at least 24 square inches in size and the type must be in a legible font. There are two versions of the signs available.  (black and white)

Finally, to better understand the Smokefree Air Act, the following “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) fact sheet is available to download. Please note, the FAQ is not intended to be a substitute for the law or rule. Please consult an attorney if further guidance is required.