State Status
No Preemption
News Summary
Coalition hopes to put smoking ban on fall ballot
Publication Date: 2005-01-30
- Author:Kenneth P. Vogel
- Publication:Tacoma (WA) News Tribune
As a battle over smoking takes shape in Olympia, advocates of a statewide smoking ban are trying to take their case directly to the voters.
On Jan. 10, the first day to file measures for the November ballot, a new coalition of health care groups filed an initiative to ban smoking in indoor public places statewide.
Initiative 901 would prohibit smoking in and near bars, restaurants, bowling centers, minicasinos, most hotel rooms and most nontribal businesses, with violations punishable by fines of $100. It's similar to an initiative that failed to get enough signatures to make the ballot last year.