Gov. Linda Lingle signed a bill yesterday, duplicating a state Department of Education smoking ban that began April 12. Both actions were aimed at closing a loophole that allowed smoking on campus by United Public Workers members who had arbitrated the exemption in 1995.

The new law states that smoke breaks shall be given for employees who want to light up, but they must go off campus.

At Palolo Elementary School, cafeteria manager Denise Camanse used to smoke in the room that the school’s UPW members used, even though she belongs to another union. Now everyone has to go outside.

"It’s just lucky that my cashier/adult supervisor lives across the street so that when I go and smoke, I can sit on her stairs and when it rains I can sit under her covered garage," Camanse said. "But I feel for people who don’t have the same situation as me."

Some people use the bus stop in front of the school, but standing there, with the traffic zooming by, can make a smoker feel uncomfortably on display, Camanse said.

The new law also requires the state to offer stop-smoking programs for interested workers.

DOE spokesman Greg Knudsen said it isn’t clear how workers feel about the smoking ban.

The DOE’s smoking restrictions in April were not made with pending legislation in mind. Instead, it was a response to a U.S. Department of Education query about how the state was going to make school workers comply with federal law.

"I believe there still may be some concerns," he said. "We are working to accommodate their interests. These are our employees and we want them to feel good about whatever arrangement is made. But at the same time, we feel strongly that campuses should remain smoke free."

When the ban was initially put in place in 1993, Camanse’s mother decided to quit smoking.

Camanse didn’t. She isn’t sure she will now, either.

"I want to quit smoking and I should quit smoking, but I can’t," she said. "I’m not only physically addicted, but I enjoy smoking."