Vote on PA smoking ban delayed
HARRISBURG In yet another delay, a special legislative committee this morning postponed a vote on a compromise bill for a statewide ban on smoking in public places.
HARRISBURG In yet another delay, a special legislative committee this morning postponed a vote on a compromise bill for a statewide ban on smoking in public places.
A joint committee of House and Senate members tasked with coming up with a compromise on the smoking ban issue put off the vote until Monday, saying it needed to address certain "technical" issues involving enforcement.
This is the third time in the last month that the vote has been delayed, although committee members maintained that they expect a resolution on Monday.
Whatever final proposal the committee agrees on would then be sent to the House and Senate. Those two chambers would not be able to change the legislation once it reaches them – senators and representatives would only be able to vote it up or down.
The proposal, according to several people familiar with it, would ban smoking in all workplaces, but would include exemptions for private clubs, cigar bars and casinos.
The measure would also preempt any smoking ban passed by a city or municipality, which could pose a problem for Philadelphia. The city passed its own city-wide ban in 2006, and both businesses and patrons there have had to make changes to comply with the law.
But state officials stressed last night that the proposal was still being tweaked and could change by this morning.
