Conflict of Laws: Kansas Smoking Ban To Override Wichita Ordinance

Local business owners in Wichita say that the city should have waited for the state to make a decision before dealing with the issue.

March 04, 2010

WICHITA, KS - Topeka lawmakers have proposed a complete public smoking ban that is headed to the governor's desk, a move that has Wichita businesses, some of whom modified their buildings after Wichita previously passed a partial smoking ban, fuming, KAKE-10 reports.

David Chaffin, owner of Players Sports Bar and Grill in Wichita, said that he retrofitted his building at a cost of "thousands of dollars" two years ago to provide smokers a separate smoking room, in compliance with a Wichita ordinance. If the state law passes, his work will have been for naught.

"I want my city council to protect businesses," Chaffin said. "Making us spend money before we have to does not make any sense. Why did the City of Wichita feel they had to make a decision before the state did? Why did they feel like they had to bend to pressure from special interest groups to make us spend money when it becomes for naught?"

In response, Wichita council member Janet Miller said that she was working on the same information as everyone else in passing a local ordinance.

"I don't think the city council had any information that they were withholding," Miller said. "I think we're all operating on the same playing field. It's been in the legislature for, gosh, I don't know how many years and all of us know that if something doesn't pass this year, it's not dead. Nothing ever dies in politics."

A statewide Kansas public smoking ban has now passed both legislative houses. Governor Parkinson is expected to sign it into law.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement