Statewide Smoking Ban Approved

[Ashley]

DES MOINES (AP) - The Legislature has approved a statewide ban on indoor smoking.

The bill now heads to Governor Culver, who has pledged to sign it into law. That means thousands of bars, restaurants and other public facilities would become smoke-free by July 1st. Casinos, however, are exempt from the ban.

The vote Tuesday in the House and Senate ends a debate that has raged all year at the Statehouse. Supporters have said the ban will save countless lives and boost public health, while critics worried about trampling business owners' rights.

Twenty-nine other states already have smoking bans.

A coalition of health, medical and consumer groups pushed for Iowa to join that list. If approved by Culver, the smoking ban would be enforced on a complaint basis by the Department of Public Health. An initial fine will be $100.

Rep. Phil Wise of Keokuk said he was voting yes because "this is a life and death issue and I am going to vote on the side of life."

The measure banning indoor smoking contains exemptions, including:
-Casinos, but only on the gambling area and betting floor. Bars and restaurants in casinos would be covered by the ban.

-The Iowa Veterans Home at Marshalltown.

-Private residences, unless they are used for child care or health care.

-Hotels and motels could set aside 20 percent of their rooms for smokers.

-Retail tobacco stores, and private clubs that have no employees.

-Private and semi-private rooms in long-term care facilities.

-Outdoor areas that are places of employment.

-Limousines under private hire.

-Farm tractors and farm trucks when being used for their intended purpose

-Enclosed areas within a place of employment that provides a smoking cessation program.

Here is the roll call vote by which the House approved a compromise plan to ban indoor smoking in the state, exempting only casinos and the Iowa Veterans Home. (A "YES' vote indicates support for the smoking ban; a "NO" vote indicates opposition.

DEMOCRATS VOTING "YES" (45)
Abdul-Samad, Bell, Berry, Bukta, Cohoon, Dandekar, Davitt, Foege, Ford, Frevert, Gaskill, Gayman, Heddens, Hunter, Jacoby, Jochum, Kelley, Kressig, Kuhn, Lensing, Mascher, McCarthy, Miller, Murphy, Oldson, D. Olson, R. Olson, T. Olson, Palmer, Petersen, Reasoner, Reichert, Shomshor, Smith, Staed, Swaim, D. Taylor, T. Taylor, Wendt, Wessel-Kroeschell, Whitaker, Whitead, Winckler, Wise and Zirkelbach.

DEMOCRATS VOTING "NO" (8)
Bailey, Huser, Lykam, Mertz, Quirk, Schueller, Thomas and Wenthe.

REPUBLICANS VOTING "YES" (9)
Anderson, Baudler, Clute, Jacobs, May, Rayhons, Schickel, Tomenga and Wiencek.

REPUBLICANS VOTING "NO" (37)
Alons, Arnolds, Boal, Chambers, De Boef, Deyoe, Dolecheck, Drake, Forristall, Gipp, Granzow, Grassley, Greiner, Heaton, Hoffman, Horbach, Huseman, Kaufmann, Lukan, Miller, S. Olson, Paulsen, Pettengill, Raecker, Rants, Rasmussen, Roberts, Sands, Soderberg, Struyk, Tjepkes, Tymeson, Van Engelenhoven, Van Fossen, Watts, Windschitl and Worthan.

DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING (0)

REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING (1)
Upmeyer

Here is the roll call vote by which the Senate approved the bill.
DEMOCRATS VOTING "YES" (25)
Appel, Beall, Bolkcom, Connolly, Courtney, Danielson, Dearden, Dvorsky, Fraise, Gronstal, Hatch, Hogg, Horn, Kibbie, McCoy, Olive, Quirmbach, Ragan, Rielly, Schmitz, Schoenjahn, Seng, Stewart, Warnstadt and Wood.

DEMOCRATS VOTING "NO" (5)
Black, Dotzler, Hancock, Heckroth and Kreiman.

REPUBLICANS VOTING "YES" (1)
Lundby

REPUBLICANS VOTING "NO" (19)
Angelo, Behn, Boettger, Gaskill, Hahn, Hartsuch, Houser, Johnson, Kettering, McKibben, McKinley, Mulder, Noble, Putney, Seymour, Ward, Wieck, Zaun and Zieman.

Republicans Larry Noble, R-Ankeny, and Pat Ward, R-West Des Moines, voted against the compromise smoking ban, but then voted for the overall measure on final passage.

-------------------------

I just wanted to get everyone's take on this. I'm excited, because I don't smoke and now I can finally go out and do stuff without having to take a shower as soon as I get home and wash my clothes a million times [assuming Culver signs the bill]. Anyway, just wanted to see what you guys think.

[Drifte]

So this is entirely state wide? because I am totally down with a smoking ban everywhere in the world if I could.

[Ashley]

yeah, assuming Culver signs it (which he said he would) then it would be state-wide.

so basically.. bars, bowling alleys, restaurants, etc... all smoke free. the only place you could really smoke is outside, in your house, in your car, at the casinos, and at the vets home. everything else is smoke free.

[Drifte]

thats freakin awesome.

[Scott]

Thats the biggest bunch of shit!! If you dont like the smoke in a bar, go to the non-smoking section!!!

[Drifte]

or...now i dont have to!

[Scott]

Hey better watch it man, first we lose our right to smoke, you wouldnt be so happy if you lost your right to drink, who knows whats next... I can see alot of bars closing because of this, mainly the ones that dont serve food or the smaller ones..
Do you complain about smelling like gas or oil when you leave the racetrack, or your eyes burning from nitro out of a top fuel dragster??? Its part of going to the race track, and if you go to a bar that allows smoking, YOUR GONNA SMELL LIKE SMOKE, if you dont like it dont go :butthead:

[TbTalon94]

I'm all for a smoke free environment, and I do see where your coming from Scott. I think that this bill is mostly for restaraunts and other things like that. Not everyone goes to a bar and picks up second-hand smoke there. It's everywhere. Sorry but there is nothing wrong with someone stepping outside to have a smoke.

Drinking doesn't harm others unless the person drinking does so. A smoker doesn't choose where their smoke goes and a non-smoker can't chose what air to breathe. Smoking/Tobacco is one of the leading killers in the world. I don't see any harm with taking it out of public areas. They aren't taking your "right" away. They just say you can't kill others...step outside and smoke.

[Scott]

Yeah that does make sense, but you know as well as me that as long are people complain they are going to try and fix it, just like drunk people being stupid and starting fights, how do you stop that? ban drinking.. Since you dont smoke you are all for it, but you do have a choice on what air you breathe, spy bar in marion is half non-smoking already. There is places out there just not many for those who dont like smoke, I guess I am just looking at it as the start of many more bad things to come.. Theres many things in the world that people dont like and are bad for your health, where does it stop?

[Drifte]

They already ran tests to see if it would have any effect on business;. So far none have had any effect. I could care less if they shut down bars entirely really. I live an apt. so I only go because I cant be loud at my own place. Smoking is an unnecessary habit, and its bad for you. I really dont see why it should be allowed for people to publicly spread cancer. Lots of my friends smoke, hell both of my brothers smoke; people make bad decisions everyday, not much I can do about it. If you think about it..what fast food restaurant allows you to smoke inside? So many people out their develop a habit of smoking when at bars, and this is one nice way to avoid bad habits I think. It is kind of stepping over the bounds here, but Im for this one.