Compromise may be needed on smoking ban

Publication Date: 2007-09-12

• Author:John Colbert
• Publication:WIBA

It's been four months since legislators held a public hearing on a proposed statewide smoking ban, and no vote has been scheduled yet. State Senate Public Health Committee Chairman Tim Carpenter says some "delicate negotiations" are taking place on the measure.

The Milwaukee Democrat says a lot of people like the idea; however opposition is based on a long tradition of being able to smoke in places such as taverns and bowling alleys. Those groups feel a statewide ban would discriminate against them.

Carpenter says there may have to be some compromises on where the ban would be in effect, in order for the bill to make it out of committee.