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Notification Letter - PDF
To all Arkansas Employers,
As you may already know, the Arkansas legislature passed a historical piece of legislation during the recent special session. The Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006 (Act 8) is a huge step for health in Arkansas. Act 8 restricts smoking in all public worksites to protect employees and the public from the harms of secondhand smoke. Thanks to our Governor, the Legislature and many other public health advocates, starting July 21, 2006, Arkansans will soon have a safer place to live and work.
However, with such proactive legislation come lots of questions and concerns. This is to be expected and the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is here to address your concerns and answer questions. In order to provide you the most current information, DHHS is working through the implementation phase of Act 8. A toll free number and website will be provided to allow for questions to be submitted and potential violations to be reported.
Act 8 does require employers to notify employees of the new law within 30 days of the effective date (July 21, 2006). For your convenience, enclosed you will find a copy of the employee notification. You may simply post it in your establishment to fulfill this requirement.
Act 8 does not require any physical modifications and careful consideration should be taken before pursuing alterations in the quest to allow smoking in any indoor or outdoor area. For instance, ventilation systems are not an alternative to achieve compliance. As a service to you, the Department of Health and Human Services will offer a plan review process to enable you to seek advice prior to making any physical changes to your facility.
It is our goal to provide every Arkansan with the helpful information in a way that is easy for you to access. Please know that we are doing everything we can to make this transition as seamless as possible. For more information on the law, you can access Act 8 at www.arcleanair.com.
More information will be posted so please stay tuned.
Sincerely,
Paul K. Halverson, DrPH
Director of Health & State Health Officer
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