Smoking ban goes to the voters

Publication Date: 2012-10-18

• Author:Payton Willey
• Publication:Williston Daily Herald

Making its way onto the ballot this November is Initiated Statutory Measure 4 which relates to prohibiting smoking in public places and work sites.

As seen on North Dakota’s Secretary of State’s web site, the ballot language for Measure 4 says that if the measure passes, it would amend chapter 23-12 of the North Dakota Century Code. According to the ballot, the measure will prohibit smoking, including the use of electronic smoking devices, in public areas. It would also provide notification and enforcement responsibilities along with penalties for violations.

On July 13, Secretary of State Al Jaeger announced that a proposed petition to initiate Measure 4 was submitted to the secretary of state’s office for review and approval to circulate. The petition was carried out by 34 sponsoring committee members who needed to gather at least 13,452 signatures in order to place the measure on the ballot for voter consideration.

According to a press release from the North Dakota secretary of state dated Aug. 2, the sponsoring committee delivered 427 petitions to Jaeger which the committee stated contained approximately 21,036 signatures...

Previous bills to ban smoking statewide in bars failed twice, the first time in February 2007 when the North Dakota Senate rejected the bill, and again in February 2009, when the North Dakota House of Representatives rejected a similar bill by a majority vote of 59-33.

Since the smoking ban in restaurants passed the legislature, other cities throughout the state have banned smoking from all enclosed workplaces, bars and restaurants including Napoleon, Pembina, West Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, and Fargo...