Freedom Seems to Have Cleared First Hurdle
Posted by Andy on February 19th, 2007
It seems the thoughtlessness of the smoking ban has run its course in St. Paul. (Strib)
Bars with ventilation systems designed to whisk away cigarette smoke could escape a modified statewide smoking ban approved Monday by a Senate business panel.
Another clause added to the bill would make the state’s smoking policy trump local restrictions, potentially undoing strict bar smoking bans in cities including St. Paul, Mankato and Bloomington.The changes passed by the Senate Business, Industry and Jobs Committee show the obstacles facing the Freedom to Breathe Act, whose authors aim to outlaw smoking in all Minnesota bars, restaurants and other workplaces. The bill has to clear at least three other Senate committees before the full body votes. In the House, it must survive a crucial business committee vote.
The Senate business panel spent hours on the smoking ban, struggling for a compromise that would mollify bar owners who attended three separate afternoon hearings over the past week.
Panel members voted 9-7 for an amendment from Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, that would exempt all bars from the smoking ban until June 2009. After that, bars could let their patrons smoke if they put in ventilation systems to keep nicotine air levels under a certain threshold.
You read that right, it was up to a DFLer to apply common sense and protections for freedom and property rights to legislation. Its far from settled, and chances are the other committees will try to undo the compromise, but it is a ray of hope where none used to exist.
Hats off to the brave people who are fighting against the insanity at the Capital, and shame on Republicans for doing nothing to help these people.
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February 19th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
Our SD Reps had a town hall meeting and high on a lot of peoples agendas was the smoking ban. Both our of House Reps (who are dead set against the ban) said that the the Iron Range DFL’ers were driving the sinking of the smoking ban. It seems they realize how bad this is for their constituents.
LL
February 20th, 2007 at 12:03 am
There are a surprizing number of Democrats who oppose this social engineering. All of them from outstate, of course. Urban (and suburban) liberal Democrats and RINOs (from anywhere they happen to be allowed to graze) are the enemies of liberty in this issue.
We have DFL Senator Tomassoni (Senate District 5 - Chisolm) to thank for introducing the ventilation amendment.
DFLer Kathy Sheran, meanwhile (SD 23 - Mankato) vows to undo the good that Tomassoni has done.