* The Southern Illinoisan editorialized this week for a bill sitting on the governor’s desk which raises the penalties for tossing a cigarette butt out your car window…
Many people already comply with the pending law, but you don’t spot the legal crowd as easily as scofflaws. For those smokers who just don’t get it, cigarette butts would be added to the list of items in which a person can be charged with a Class B misde-meanor for littering.
As we recently reported, the legislation was sponsored by State Rep. Iris Martinez, a Chicago Democrat.
“There has been a big push around the country to have designated areas to dispose of cigarette butts, but since smoking is a mo-bile habit, it’s easy to just drop a butt wherever you’re at without a second thought,” Martinez said. “And, not only are we looking to combat a litter problem, but also a potential fire hazard from lit cigarette butts being thrown on the ground.”
Under the pending law, a careless smoker convicted of littering could be fined a maximum of $1,500 and sentenced to as much as 180 days in jail. A judge also could require those who are convicted to pick up litter along a designated stretch of road for up to 30 days.
Those are the maximum penalties. We can’t imagine judges throwing the book at first-time offenders of a brand new law. But for those with past littering convictions, for even as small an item as a cigarette butt, the sentencing possibilities should discourage future transgressions.
It’s a sad reflection on the human condition that the possibility of punishment is the only way to ensure proper behavior. Once violators take a hit to their pocketbooks, they are more likely to obey the law in the future.
Discuss.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:20 am:
Yikes. I’m not in favor of littering, but that seems a wee bit harsh.
- RNUG - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:26 am:
It may be harsh but it is basically a stupidity tax.
- "Edge" - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:27 am:
Sure, like I can see a cop purposely ticketing someone litering. Like Chicago and suburban cops don’t have enough on their plate.
- springfield watcher - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:27 am:
About Time
- Shemp - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:28 am:
My personal favorite is the smoker that trashes pristine natural areas. Was on a guided park walk once and watched a smoker throw a butt on the trail. Couldn’t have been more proud of the guide who made him pick it back up.
But as for drivers, more than once I’ve had a flicked cigarette hit my car on the highway and thoroughly tick me off. Penalty does seem harsh though. I would definitely favor the fine coupled with mandatory litter pick-up time.
- Shemp - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:30 am:
And yes, I find it hard to believe many LEOs will be enforcing this. It’s a shame we still have to be reminded not to litter. It seems so simple and just the plain ole civil thing to do.
- Former Downstater - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:31 am:
I doubt it will be enforced too often. But I hate, hate seeing people throwing their cigarette butts on the ground, thinking they are somehow going to degrade. The worst sight every spring is all of the butts on the ground after the snow melts.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:32 am:
===Sure, like I can see a cop purposely ticketing someone litering.===
I was pulled over Saturday night for doing this, and it’s not even the law yet.
- Rufus - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:33 am:
I work at human services in Springfield, you should see all the butts just outside the front door. It’s disgusting.
- Sgt Schultz - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:37 am:
Happy for this one! Downtown Springfield looks like an ashtray. Love the idea of polluters picking up trash along roadway, too.
- MrGrassroots - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:40 am:
This is too much! I need a smoke!
- Bird Dog - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:40 am:
Sounds like a good excuse for a cop to stop you just to build the probable cause for what he really wants to do you.
- Anon - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:41 am:
cigarette butts already meet the definition of litter under the current statute. I don’t see how this changes anything..
- Dan Bureaucrat - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:42 am:
I applaud this legislation. Cig butts are the most littered item, contain toxins that harm wildlife and cost a tremendous amount to clean up. Litter diminishes the joy we get from our surroundings and is correlated to negative qualities such as lack of community, lack of safety and anti-social behavior.
I just participated in a “clean and green” to pick up trash in a neighborhood. The sheer quantity of cigarette butts, broken glass, and food packaging was staggering. It was 5 inches deep in some places. It took hours to clean even a small patch.
Once we start thinking of our streets as dumping grounds, then, like water on rock, it reduces our investment in our communities and each other.
- Trooper - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:43 am:
Rich, this is basically adding cigarettes to list of banned item under the litter control act, even though they are already included under, and I’m going from memory, “any other items not properly disposed” I’ve stopped many people for this, particularly in the late summer when fire conditions are high. I’ve never arrested anyone, just warned them and let them go. There’s also already an IVC section for littering or depositing materials on the roadway which could apply.
- Observer - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:44 am:
Finally! I’ve always wanted to make a bumper sticker saying “the world is not your ashtray.” Sorry Rich, but I’m glad you were pulled over.
- Quinn T. Sential - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:44 am:
{It’s a sad reflection on the human condition that the possibility of punishment is the only way to ensure proper behavior.}
When Cigarette consumption consumes an enormous percentage of the household budget; and the likely punishment of a slow agonizing death from cancer isn’t enough to ensure proper behavior, then a potential fine like this will have little impact on this population.
Stupid is as stupid does,
- Wumpus - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:47 am:
I thought littering was already against the law? Use your ash trays, jerks!
- SO IL M - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:50 am:
Agree with Bird Dog. I only see this being enforced as a reason to stop for DUI Patrols. Its about the money.
- Cincinnatus - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:53 am:
Dust to dust, ashes to ashes…
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:54 am:
I drink coffee all the time. When i finish off my 12 ounce cup of joe in the morning I don’t throw my cup out the car window. Smokers should not be treated any differently.
- RNUG - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:54 am:
Only 66.7M fines at $1,500 each will pay off the pension underfunding !
- Nieva - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:57 am:
Nasty habit that is hell to break. Keep your butts in your car or if out in public put it in the proper place. I think next will be keeping your windows rolled up so other don’t have to smell it.
- Downstate Illinois - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 9:58 am:
Just after I read the editorial I got out on the highway behind a pickup truck that flicked his cigarette butt out the window.
- Amalia - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:04 am:
Good. I am sick of picking up cigarette pieces by my yard, in parks, and on beaches. It’s litter. just because it is small litter does not make it invisible. it’s ground pollution.
- David P. Graf - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:05 am:
Let’s make the punishment proportionate. For a big city pol, $1500 is pocket change. For others, that could make the difference in terms of staying off the streets. Ditto with impounding cars. Plus, there are far bigger problems in the world to deal with.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:11 am:
Trooper makes a good point that the law already covers this. I love when people who have special expertise post on a topic post here.
Jail for littering seems unnecessary to me, and it is costly. But sentencing people to pick up litter for a week along a designated stretch of road (or a state park) seems like a good idea.
- kerfuffle - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:11 am:
I think we should have cameras installed on all streets and highways to find and punish these scofflaws!
- low level - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:15 am:
If this had been the law back in the day, I’d have probably done 20+ years and gone broke paying the fines.
- walkinfool - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:16 am:
It’s a shame, but a lit cigarette is more than litter, when the grass is dry.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:16 am:
===I was pulled over Saturday night for doing this,===
Here’s a tip Rich: next time say “someone I know very well was pulled over.” That way no one will hassle you.
When I smoked, I was a notorious butt-tosser. Now when it happens, I get kind of ticked off about it, especially at night when the embers really light up and you know instantly what just happened.
The penalty is excessive but the behavior needs to change.
- BigDoggie - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:20 am:
Necessary and long overdue. Never understood why smokers all seem to think that this is okay. This is not quickly biodegradable material and is clearly littering.
- Susiejones - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:21 am:
since cigarette butts are already litter why do we need yet another law on the books that specifically names cigarette butts as litter? I am all in favor of these folks getting fined and do roadside clean up, but my goodness, didn’t the legislature have more important things to do this spring? I don’t know, maybe pension reform….
- Bulbous1 - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:27 am:
This would be another way for an officer to have probable cause to stop you. Many DUIs and warrant arrests are a result of a burned out license plate bulb.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:27 am:
==Its about the money==
I hate it when people make this lame argument. You have absolute and total control over whether you part with any money for these things. If you don’t break the law you won’t have to worry. Some of you act like there shouldn’t be any laws because it’s all about the money. Grow up and don’t break the law.
- Endangered Moderate Species - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:31 am:
It is sad that we must have laws like this to help regulate what seems like common sense to the majority of people.
I too have pet peeves with the smoker who flicks his butt out the window into my car.
The other pet peeve is the smoker who throws their butts onto the ground while visiting my home. My mother-in-law and my father are two of the biggest abusers.
- inker - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:33 am:
Hello Rich:
Just curious? What did you throw out the car window? I hope it was not your dog.
Someone did that on the road I live on. Dumped a puppy. We nursed it back to good health and found it a good home.
- Friedman - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:33 am:
Wow! This is a monumental groundbreaking law! Iris, your name will forever be synonymous with creating a modern Illinois. I wonder what the chances are of getting a federal grant to buy some drones for aerial surveillance.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:37 am:
I wouldn’t get rid of the jail time for repeat offenders, but first timers should be forced to pick up litter for 30 days plus the fine.
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:40 am:
Darn, and I was going to take up smoking so I could start throwing butts out my window.
This takes me back to the days when I used to watch my father doing this. It’s no big deal, but when I’m behind a car with a smoker I always worried that the butt being flicked out that car would fly into my open window.
- rusty618 - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:41 am:
Many forest fires have been started by careless cigarette disposal. As I recall, many cities in southern Illinois, where many of the states forest areas are located, banned fireworks shows on the 4th of July last year because of dry conditions.
- Old Timer - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:47 am:
Then when are they going to pass a law requiring automotive manufacturer to put ashtrays back in vehicles. FINE THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS!
- dupage dan - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:53 am:
My biggest beef os for those folks who dutifully put their cigarettes out in the car ashtray only to dump the entire contents onto the parking lot at the mall or even at the place where I work. A big stinking pile of butts is really disgusting. Hard to catch those slobs, tho. We got seagulls permanently camped out near the parking lot what with fast food joints nearby and folks dumping their garbage out on the same parking lot. Folks party in the lot on weekends and leave the beerinaplainpaperbag cr@p along with a few spent rounds (9mil). Dogs know not to cr@p in their own yards but we humans are a special breed. The fines seem too harsh - trying to frighten would be litterers will only work if enough folks are busted and have to pay the fine. Otherwise, it just becomes a reason to pull folks over to check for other crimes.
- RichR - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:55 am:
It’s cute that so many people think this is going to change behavior.
- shore - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 10:57 am:
I don’t smoke or care for them, but this is harsh.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 11:01 am:
Nothing like having a lit cigarette hit your convertible when the top is down.
- MarkT - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 11:11 am:
Our group does cleanup four times a year on an adopted section of highway leading into Downers Grove. We’ve given up trying to get all the cig butts, there’s just too many.
It’s ridiculous people toss any garbage out their window, but I don’t see a new law changing behavior. We still pick up plenty of beer cans and bottles and that’s been illegal forever.
- pfft~ - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 11:28 am:
Can registering smoking materials be far behind? Implanted tracking devices in cigs so that drones can properly target smokers for insurance companies? Conspiracy paranoia perhaps, but hey, just keeping up with the times.
- downstate commissioner - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 11:32 am:
pfft-LOL
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 11:40 am:
Somewhere, Sen. Iris Martinez has a tear running down her cheek.
- Just Me - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 11:41 am:
A couple weeks ago on lake shore drive the car in front of me flicked their cigarette butt and it entered my car through the sun roof. While driving I had to reach back and find it and put it out. I was not pleased.
- Rich Miller Sr - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 11:45 am:
As a youngster I remember ducks and geese snapping up butts thrown in the water. I was told then that the butts could kill them by plugging up their digestive system. I hope this law helps.
- Sgt Schultz - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 12:31 pm:
How long does it take for a cigarette filter to degrade anyhow?
- Kevin Highland - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 12:38 pm:
It’s a lot of fun to dodge those burning butts when riding a motorcycle or in a convertible.
- x ace - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 12:42 pm:
Trooper points out: It’s already covered.
So just another redundant law clogging things up.
Grandstanding ?
Probably , need a massive independent review initiative to get rid of all the surplus and save some trees. ( but chances are better to win the lottery)
- just wondering - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 12:43 pm:
I’m curious why plastic bottles weren’t included. And cans. And candy wrappers. And …
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 2:15 pm:
I’m not sympathetic to the butt-tossers (long-time convertible owner) but Iris don’t you have something better to work on?
Next year she will amend this to reduce the fine by 10% if a Latino/Hispanic manufactured cig butt was tossed out-just wait.
- anon - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 3:16 pm:
Well,at least it’s a sign that the legislature can pass something,but as already said,the offense was already covered under littering.
- orlkon - Thursday, Jun 13, 13 @ 3:27 pm:
Pot Smokers recycle!
- ah HA - Friday, Jun 14, 13 @ 12:10 am:
It’s about time littering will be prosecutable. But another law to reenforce the existing law? What we have living on Earth is all we got. we “throw” this away, we’re done for.
- Gimme a break - Friday, Jun 14, 13 @ 9:49 am:
Someone mentioned there are no ashtrays in cars anymore. So…
I totally sympathize with motorbikers and convertible owners. But, the legislature really needs to forget about making illegal that which is already illegal. There are way better things to do.
As for the earth, it’s been here 5 billion years or so (unless you’re a wacky right-winger, in which case it’s just 10,000) and it’s survived a helluva lot worse than cigarette butts. Want to worry about something that’s going to be around a while? I suggest looking at nuclear waste. The half-life of uranium is 4.4 billion years.