Restaurant smoking ban gains support
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By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer
A bill to ban smoking inside restaurants and, eventually, restaurant bars appears to be gaining support at the City Council and could be up for final approval in two weeks.
The council Planning and Public Safety Committee yesterday advanced a new, tougher version of the anti-smoking bill. Similar bills failed to gain Council approval three times in the past three years, but Council chairman Jon Yoshimura predicted this one will pass.
Yoshimura, who opposed earlier smoking bans as anti-business, said that while government should avoid over-regulation, he's concerned about the detrimental effects of cigarette smoke. "I haven't been impressed with the business community's response to the health issue."
The bill would ban smoking inside restaurants as of July 1, but smoking would continue to be allowed in outdoor dining areas. Smoking in restaurant bars would be allowed until June 30, 2003, but only if they are separately enclosed and ventilated.
People would still be allowed to smoke in nightclubs and stand-alone bars.
Mayor Jeremy Harris told Council Public Safety chairman John Henry Felix he will review what city analysts say about the bill before deciding if he will sign it.
State law prohibits smoking in most areas open to the public, although restaurants are permitted to have smoking and non-smoking areas and are exempted from a county ordinance that bans smoking in most workplaces.