Bar, tavern smoking ban on track in Oregon Legislature

Publication Date: 2007-05-05

• Author:AP
• Publication:The News-Review

A measure to snuff out smoking inside Oregon's bars and taverns is back on track and appears likely to pass in the 2007 Legislature, despite some lawmakers' earlier worries that a smoking ban could make it tougher to balance the state budget...

This past week, however, Senate President Peter Courtney came to the conclusion that protecting public health trumps concerns over a possible revenue hit.

So he's asked the Senate Revenue Committee in the coming week to advance to the full Senate a bill to clear the air in Oregon's bars and taverns by requiring smokers to step outside to indulge their habit.

"It's time we do this. The danger of secondhand smoke to the people who work in these places is well documented," the Salem Democrat said.