Smoking ban politics: bill fizzles, but initiative sizzles

Publication Date: 2005-03-04

• Author:REBECCA COOK
• Publication:Seattle Post-Intelligencer

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Advocates for a cause usually wait until the Legislature kills a bill to declare it dead.

But with session half over, supporters of a public smoking ban have all but given up on the Legislature and moved on to plan B: a November initiative.

They have raised $150,000 and have already hired signature-gatherers for Initiative 901, which would ban smoking in all public places - including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, bowling alleys and non-tribal casinos.