To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit smoking on the premises of any facility of the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill rewrites title 38 section 1715 to create a broad smoking ban on VHA premises. No person, including veterans, patients, residents, Department employees, contractors, or visitors, may smoke on the premises of any Veterans Health Administration facility. Smoking includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, any combustion or heating of tobacco, and electronic nicotine delivery systems such as e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-cigars. Covered VHA facilities include land or buildings under VA jurisdiction and VHA control, including medical centers, nursing homes, domiciliary facilities, outpatient clinics, and readjustment counseling centers, unless the facility is under General Services Administration control. The bill updates the chapter table and repeals section 526 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, replacing prior smoking policy with a statutory smoke-free VHA campus rule.
Who Benefits and How
Veterans receiving VHA care benefit from reduced exposure to tobacco smoke and vaping aerosols on VHA premises. VHA patients with respiratory conditions benefit from a smoke-free environment at medical centers and clinics. VA healthcare staff benefit from clearer workplace smoking and vaping restrictions. Visitors to VHA facilities benefit from uniform smoke-free premises rules.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Veterans who smoke must leave VHA premises to use tobacco or electronic nicotine delivery systems. VHA facility managers must enforce the smoking ban across land and buildings under VHA control. VA contractors and employees who smoke must comply with the premises-wide restriction. VHA security staff may need to handle compliance and signage issues.
Key Provisions
- Prohibits smoking by any person on Veterans Health Administration facility premises.
- Defines smoking to include tobacco combustion, heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-cigars.
- Applies to VA-controlled medical centers, nursing homes, domiciliary facilities, outpatient clinics, and readjustment counseling centers.
- Excludes facilities under General Services Administration control.
- Repeals the prior Veterans Health Care Act smoking provision.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Prohibits any person, including veterans, patients, residents, VA employees, contractors, and visitors, from smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes, heated tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery systems, e-cigarettes, vape pens, or e-cigars on premises of Veterans Health Administration facilities, including VA-controlled medical centers, nursing homes, domiciliary facilities, outpatient clinics, and readjustment counseling centers not controlled by GSA.
Key Policy Areas
Veterans Health, Tobacco, VA
Primary Purpose
Prohibits any person, including veterans, patients, residents, VA employees, contractors, and visitors, from smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes, heated tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery systems, e-cigarettes, vape pens, or e-cigars on premises of Veterans Health Administration facilities, including VA-controlled medical centers, nursing homes, domiciliary facilities, outpatient clinics, and readjustment counseling centers not controlled by GSA.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Veterans receiving VHA care
- VHA patients with respiratory conditions
- VA healthcare staff
- Visitors to VHA facilities
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Veterans who smoke
- VHA facility managers
- VA contractors
- VHA security staff
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mr. Dunn of Florida (for himself and Ms. Underwood) introduced …
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
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