Texas is joining Vermont, Washington, and Maine in passing a new law stating that foster parents are not allowed to smoke in their homes or cars while children are present. The law takes effect on January 1, the same day that a buck-a-pack tax hike goes into effect. Personally, I could give a rip about smokers feeling like their civil rights are being violated, I'm all for laws that keep second-hand smoke away from our country's most vulnerable children.

Critics say that the state shouldn't "tighten foster parent eligibility when an increasing number of children need help." They say the law will discourage people from becoming foster parents. I say foster parents can go outside to light up. Many smokers with children smoke outside or away from their kids out of consideration for their health.

This surely won't be the last restriction Texas places on its foster parent community. After all, this is the state that wants its foster parents to be heterosexual despite the fact there are about 43,000 gay and lesbian couples who are willing to foster children. They can't all be smokers.