Smoking Ban Passes Senate Panel

Publication Date: 2012-02-23

• Author:Brandon Smith, IPBS
• Publication:Indiana Public Media

Bars and taverns would be exempt from the smoking ban for the next 18 months under this version of the bill.

The smoking ban passed the House the last five years, but never got so much as a committee hearing in the Senate until last year. One of the key compromises in this year’s version is an 18-month exemption for bars and taverns.

Danielle Patterson is the co-chair of the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air. She says that 18-month window gives the General Assembly a chance to revisit the idea during a later legislative session and exempt bars and taverns permanently.

“We would like this to be done ideally before that so that, you know, this can go into effect,” she says. ”We have a supportive governor right now; we don’t know what the next governor will do. It’s just best to go ahead and get this done this year.”