Indiana Likely to Uphold Bar Smoking Exemption

The likelihood that the state legislature will extend the state's smoking ban to include bars is looking slim.

January 22, 2013

INDIANAPOLIS - There??s only a slim chance Indiana will expand its statewide smoking ban to encompass bars this year, the Courier-Journal reports. The bar exemption is one of the biggest exceptions when the Legislature okay the state??s first smoking ban, which started in July.

It took six years for lawmakers to garner enough support for a statewide smoking ban, and supporters of adding bars say it won??t happen this year. Rep. Charlie Brown said he would continue his quest to have an all-encompassing smoking ban without exceptions. "I??m saying keep that subject out there and hopefully we will one day come into the 21st century in Indiana by saying all public places are smoke free," said Brown.

Private clubs, casinos, bars and retail tobacco shops are exempted from the current law. However, some cities, such as Evansville, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, have stricter laws that prohibit smoking in bars.

Because passage of the ban triggered much debate, many legislators are wary of bringing up the topic again this year, said state Rep. Bill Davis, who chairs the House Public Policy Committee. "I think they did a great job of coming to a compromise with that bill last year and I think we need to see how it works," he said. "Less than a year, I don??t think, is enough time."

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