Daniels wants few exemptions to Indiana smoking ban

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Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said Wednesday that he hopes legislators will send him a statewide smoking ban bill with a short list of exemptions.

Daniels has been backing the effort to put legal limits on smoking in public places and businesses, but declined to say whether he supported a push by some legislators to continue allowing smoking at bars.

"I'm willing to sign whatever bill the Legislature sends me," Daniels told reporters at the Statehouse. "I think we probably should keep the exceptions as narrow as possible in the interest of employees."

A state Senate committee is expected to take action next week on a House-approved bill that gives bars an 18-month exemption to the ban. That proposal would prohibit smoking in nearly all public places and businesses but still allow it at Indiana's 13 casinos, private clubs, retail tobacco stores, and cigar and hookah bars.

Daniels said he didn't want to rule anything out since he expected much give and take among legislators on the exemptions.

Anti-smoking advocates have said they will oppose efforts to extend the bar exemption past the September 2013 deadline currently in the bill. Opposition from health advocates last year to a House-approved bill that included a bar exemption without an end date contributed to its defeat in a Senate committee after its chairman argued the provision was needed to win Senate passage.

Senate public policy committee Chairman Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, said last week he believed the current exemptions are needed for the bill to get through the Legislature before this year's session ends by mid-March. He said adding other exemptions — such as for nursing home residents — could be considered by the committee.

The Indiana House has approved statewide smoking limits six times in recent years, but the Senate has never voted on those proposals.


  • Exemption Parity?
    One of the exemptions is for casinos and nearby businesses. Why should they be exempt? Could it be that the state would lose millions in tax revenue by banning these businesses? How about the health of the casino employees? Casinos employ a heck of a lot more non-smokers than any bar. What's the difference? Tax revenue, that's what. Talk about self-serving.
  • And I continue again!
    Maybe the government should look into spelling and grammar errors in comments.

    I think they should definitely look into a spelling error/grammar error ban.

    Hopefully within the next few years none of us will have to make any decisions. Our government can soon do all of the thinking for us. They can tell us where we can go and what we can, or can't, do when we get there.
  • Don't take it seriously
    Don't take the spelling and grammar seriously.

    But take the message and the fact that we are losing freedoms every day VERY SERIOUSLY!

    P.S. I look forward to your english grade on this comment.
  • rite to smoke provision by Mitch
    Your man Mitch wants to give the okay for union workers to obide by this law or not. That why its their right to smoke law. Right Mitch!
  • Proofread
    I could consider taking this comment seriously if it weren't riddled with spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.
  • M
    Is the reason that all of the supporters of this ban support it due to the fact that they want "EVERYWHERE" that they decide to patronise to fit "THEIR" description of what is okay, healthy, acceptable, etc. etc.????

    I have to wonder, why is it so important to you that there is NO WHERE for people to something that you disagree with... Even if you do not HAVE to ever go to that place???

    Do you hate other people's freedom that much?????

    • Great Representation!
      There are exemptions because, apparently, there are still some representatives who believe the residents within this state are capable of making decisions, regarding their health etc., tehmselves.

      These freedom loving representatives have my support and votes. We don't need a pseudo-parent government helping us make all of our decisions for us.

      Please, if you are a non-smoker and do not want to go to a smoking bar, just go to one that caters to non-smokers.

      Why do you have to insist on infringing on the rights of those who make the grown up decision to work or patronise a smoking establishment?

    • WHY ?
      Why are there any exemptions?
    • ugh
      Why do lawmakers insist on pushing a bad smoking ban bill that does NOT treat all adult businesses equally? Indiana Senate members should beware, and NOT give a permanent exemption to casinos, at the expense of mom and pop bar owners. All adult businesses should be allowed to determine their smoking policy as they wish, as long as any business permitting smoking post clear exterior signage that they chose to be a smoking establishment, no minors are allowed or employed inside, and that the business' specific smoking policy is clearly disclosed on job applications and during potential employee interviews.

      Generations before us fought against unnecessary tyranny of the majority against the minority, and we are going against what our country has strived for many decades to do(allow each person to have liberty, and live life as he/she wishes, even if they have habits that others may not approve), if we allow the smoking ban bill in its current unfair form to become law. Indiana Senate members should drop the smoking ban bill, if it continues to remain in this flawed way, a la Evanville's expanded ban that sadly passed. Why support flawed legislation, that doesn't allow all adult businesses to determine their smoking policy(or altogether ban indoor smoking, if that business would rather do). as they wish? The 2005 Indianapolis smoking ban, would be a far better and fairer model smoking law, to adopt statewide.
    • smoking ban
      why doesn"t governor Daniels worry about,a possible cabinet post, he"s done enough damage to indiana.smokers and non-smokers have the same choices, why have a dictator state.government has no right to tell people what to do, tobacco is not illegal,maybe giving our schools away is. MIKE ALTE

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