Statewide smoking ban may be decided by one legislator again

Publication Date: 2017-03-26

• Author:JAMES BROOKS
• Publication:Juneau Empire

Last year, Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, tried to ban smoking in bars and restaurants statewide. His proposal was the first bill introduced into the 29th Alaska Legislature, and after more than a year of consideration, it sailed through the Senate 15-5. When it reached the House, it was stopped stone dead by a single legislator.

Micciche is trying again, and the issue may again come down to that single legislator: Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage.

"We have overwhelming support in the Senate and the House," Micciche said. "I support the bill; I hope it has an opportunity to make it to the House floor, but that's yet to be determined."

Last year, LeDoux was chairwoman of the House's Judiciary Committee and never scheduled Micciche's bill for a hearing. This year, she no longer controls the judiciary committee but is instead chairwoman of the House's Rules Committee, in charge of scheduling bills for a floor vote…