Many Monday Memo readers know that I work in public health. So the results of the 2012 General Assembly,especially the smokefree air legislation,were of great interest to my friends in the public health community. You’ve probably followed this campaign enough to know that smokefree air bills have been introduced in Indiana repeatedly in recent years –each time dying at one stage or another over the matter of how comprehensive a law should be. That is,in what kinds of establishments,if any,should smoking be permitted?  The public health community stood on science that shows that second hand smoke kills non-smokers who work in smoke-filled environments and argued that many people who work,for instance,in bars and casinos don’t have the latitude to quit their jobs to seek work in healthier settings. So for several years we took the unyielding position that the law should ensure healthy workplaces for all Hoosiers.

This year finally,with support from legislative leaders and the Governor,the tide shifted to make it clear that some kind of smokefree air bill would succeed. But it was also abundantly clear that there would be compromises that would be hard to live with. In its final version the new law will prohibit smoking in all enclosed workplaces except for casinos,bars,tobacco stores and family businesses in private homes. So we can celebrate that the law will finally ensure clean air in previously unprotected workplaces across the state. But the exemption for bars and casinos is a grave failure. Thousands of Hoosiers will continue working and breathing in heavy-smoke filled environments.

One very good outcome of the bill was the removal of a provision added by the Senate that would have prevented communities from enacting stronger local ordinances. The tobacco industry lobbies for “preemption”as a strategy to keep local communities from improving on weak state laws.  The elimination of that restriction guarantees that going forward more cities and counties will act to ensure healthy indoor environments for now unprotected workers.

And so it should be. The Earth Charter urges us to,“Strengthen local communities,enabling them to care for their environments,and assign environmental responsibilities to the levels of government where they can be carried out most effectively.”I hope you’ll have the opportunity to support those efforts where you live and breathe.

For our children’s children,

Jerry King

Indiana’s Governor Daniels has announced a focus for the bicentennial that looks very much like principle 5(b) of the Earth Charter:“Establish and safeguard viable nature and biosphere reserves,including wild lands and marine areas,to protect Earth’s life support systems,maintain biodiversity,and preserve our natural heritage.”

“I have asked [the Bicentennial Commission] to oversee a Bicentennial Nature Trust,a statewide project to protect still more of our most precious natural spaces. On our 100th birthday,Indiana launched its state park system. A statewide conservation initiative is a fitting sequel and bequest from our second century to our third. The Trust is intended to inspire others,and to match their donations of land or dollars in a continuing statewide surge of conservation. The Commission joins me in challenging citizens,businesses,and in particular our unique network of county community foundations,to identify and fund local projects that will safeguard places of beauty for future generations.”                                                   Governor Mitch Daniels,State of the State Address,January 10,2012

“Following Governor Daniels’ call,the Bicentennial Commission is seeking Hoosiers willing to join them. The Intent of the Bicentennial Nature Trust is to preserve and protect important conservation and recreation areas throughout the State of Indiana. Property acquired with this fund will become part of the public trust to ensure that the land is protected for future generations.”                                                 (From the Indiana Bicentennial Nature Trust website)

Preserving and enhancing our natural heritage is a worthy legacy of the bicentennial.  It transcends political and religious boundaries and has the potential to unite Hoosiers in a common cause. Earth Charter Indiana’s bicentennial citizen-initiative,Sustainable Indiana 2016,is a perfect companion to the “nature trust” envisioned.

For our children’s children,

John Gibson

P.S.  The “mass action” component of Sustainable Indiana 2016 for this year is “Plant a Garden.”  A surge of gardens (backyard,school yard,church yard,vertical,container,community,etc.) will make our food system more secure,will get us closer to nature,and will build community through produce sharing and neighborhood garden potlucks.

Last week Governor Daniels signed House Enrolled Act 1001,dubbed “Employee’s Right to Work,” making Indiana the first state in over 10 years,the first “rust belt” state ever and the 23^rd state in the nation to enact such legislation.  The law prohibits requiring,as a condition of employment,that a person be a member of or pay dues,fees,or other charges to a labor organization.  Without question,it was the most contentious legislation in recent memory,dominating two sessions and causing hundreds of opponents to descend on the Statehouse and dozens of legislators to avoid the Statehouse in an effort to prevent passage.  This Monday Memo is not about the merits of this legislation,however,but rather considers its name.

George Orwell wrote that “Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable.”  This cynical quote begins an article entitled “A bill’s name is part of the game,” published in June 2011 in Medill Reports.  The author makes the point that a bill’s title is extremely powerful because it affects perception of a bill and thus its chance of passage.  Unfortunately,rather than create a title to provide an accurate description of a bill’s purpose or contents,legislators sometimes strategically concoct a title designed to evoke emotion,obfuscate or even deceive the public,often serving the purpose of putting opponents on the defensive,as well.  We can think of several examples of this tactic in recent history —how about the “Patriot Act”?

Governor Daniels was fairly forthcoming explaining his change of heart in supporting this legislation.  This is about unions —and the Governor was persuaded that passage was necessary to attract certain businesses – some that wouldn’t even consider locating in Indiana unless we have this law.  Whether you agree or disagree with the Governor’s premise or with his public policy position,at least he was candid (even if only implicitly) in acknowledging the bill’s purpose – weaken unions to attract business.  But the same cannot be said for the sponsors of the bill who named it,or other legislators and special interest groups who championed it.  In fact,if you didn’t read the bill but only considered its title,many of the TV and radio ads that saturated the airwaves and the rhetoric of those who supported it,you would believe that the sole purpose of the legislation was to protect Indiana workers – a noble goal no reasonable person could oppose.

Among other things,Principle 13 of the Earth Charter calls for us to “provide transparency and accountability in governance.”  Transparency implies clarity,openness,honesty and accountability.   The inherent deception manifested in naming this contentious and divisive legislation “Employee’s Right to Work” is contrary to this principle,an affront to those who have legitimate objections and a slight to the public’s intelligence.  We deserve better.

For our children’s children,

Rosemary Spalding