HB6158 Summary

• Amends the Smoke Free Illinois Act to expand the definition of "smoke" or "smoking" to include hookah, weed, herbs, and other lighted smoking equipment in addition to traditional tobacco products.

• Adds exemption for the burning of incense in conjunction with a religious ceremony, excluding it from the definition of smoking prohibited by the Act.

• Maintains existing exemptions for private residences, retail tobacco stores (with annual affidavit filing requirement), nursing home and long-term care facility smoking rooms with written consent, designated hotel/motel smoking rooms (limited to 25% of guest rooms), and enclosed research laboratories.

• Clarifies that smoking exemptions in Department of Veterans' Affairs long-term care facilities require written request from resident smokers and that smoke cannot infiltrate other facility areas.

• Conditions any rulemaking authority on compliance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act and Joint Committee on Administrative Rules procedures.