Girl Scouts drafted anti-smoking bill passed by Colorado town

A Girl Scout troop helped draft a new law to combat secondhand smoking in their Colorado hometown. 

The law was implemented this week, The Washington Post reported on Friday. 

Members of Girl Scout Troop 60789 met with city lawyers over the course of a year to research and draft the bill that was proposed to the city of Aurora.

The decision barely passed through the Aurora City Council, with Mayor Steve Hogan (R) casting the deciding vote in favor, 6-5, the Post reported. 

{mosads}

The law outlaws adults from smoking in cars with minors. Violators will face mandatory community service. 

A police officer can write up violators during a traffic stop initiated for another reason, like speeding. 

The bill was controversial, as some people said the government was overstepping its boundaries in trying to police the inside of private cars. 

The girls had originally approached their troop leader, Kristen Batcho, about wanting to write a law to limit smoking.

“It was out of the blue,” said Batcho, who has never worked in politics or legislation, according to the Post. “I said, ‘We’ve never done this before.’”

She said the girls learned a valuable lesson working on the legislation.

“It tells the girls that, yes, you do have a voice, and you can step up even if you’re 13 and 14, and you can do great things,” Batcho told the Post. “They might be small, but they are mighty.”