HB 1149 ? Smoking Ban

On second reading, there was a lot of chatter about how the amendments made HB 1149, the smoking ban statute worthless. I decided to go through the amendments and see how bad they were. They weaken it, sure, but honestly it still looks like an o.k. bill in my subjective opinion. Here is what went in on second reading.

Senator Leising: A health facility, a residential care facility, group home, retirement community, state hospitals, community mental health centers, and community mental retardation and other developmental disabilities centers; and: Bars and taverns that open after June 30, 2012; and facilities hosting bingo, raffles or other charity events.

Sen. Alting: Cigar or hookah bars that are open and allow smoking prior to July 1, 2013. (Previously the grandfather clause was cut off at June 30, 2012.) Sen Alting also clarified that the statute wouldn?t supersede a more restrictive ordinance already in place; also non-profit clubs.

Sen. Nugent: Local organizations can?t impose more restrictive requirements on gambling establishments.

Sen. Young: A business located at the owner?s residence. Local organizations can?t impose more restrictive requirements on this one either.

Here is the version now being considered by the Senate on third reading. It prohibits smoking in a public place (structure in which the public is invited or permitted), place of employment, state owned vehicles, and 8 feet of the entrance to a public place or place of employment.

The exceptions, generally speaking are: gambling facilities, non-profit clubs that serve food and/or alcohol to only its members, tobacco stores, hookah and cigar bars, over-21 bars and taverns, churches and the like when they?re holding bingo or raffle type events, and residential health care facilities of various kinds.

My preference is to be in a bar that?s smoke free; but I can?t get too upset at an exception for those locations. I don?t go to all that many bars anymore; and, if I do, generally I?m with people who share my aversion to cigarette smoke.

Source: http://www.masson.us/blog/?p=8360

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