state + local

Democratic Sen. Barb Goodwin please take a moment to realize what this says about you and the political party you represent. Of all the causes, you choose this one?! This is the crowning achievement, your legacy which you wish to have? Come on! Get something done or just sit on the sidelines quietly.

Whatever happened to the huge rebound in business that the smoking ban was promising to usher in. You know, the sort of rebound that wouldn't require bars to go to lengths such as this to stay above water. Reporters loved to quote the Lung Association saying non-smokers would come out in droves to the bars, but that obviously isn't happening. Every bar owner I know is struggling, and it is more than just the economy. When will someone actually do a story on how the promise of the non-smoking bar patron was actually a ruse?

They make prop cigarettes for theatre. Don't need real ones.

Asmithe2 - Whatever happened to the thousands of bars that would be forced to close if the smoking ban went into effect because "all of their customers would go to casinos or cross state lines where they could smoke". Didn't happen. There are still the same number of bars as there were 5 years ago. When will someone actually do a story on how the threat of thousands of small bar owners going bankrupt was actually a ruse?

Smoking is bad, wasting legislative energy on this minor minor part of the problem is also bad. Drop it

Just put a sign on the front door as to whether the establishment is smoking or nonsmoking and for the the employees who don't smoke should be issued gas masks if they want to work there. If someone wants to smoke and essentially commit suicide, that's their choice, but don't take innocent ones with you.

So smoking kills millions of Americans each year and it's legal and guns kill several thousand people and they should be Illegal? HMMMM!

How about passing laws forbidding people from smoking outdoors in public places? How about a law protecting minors from smoking in the home? Those are the laws that are actually needed on this topic. I'm sick of breathing that crap when I'm in a public place. Also, minors who live in smoking households deserve clean air to breathe. We regulate the heck out of other stuff to protect kids, but we have no problem with their addicted parents exposing them to constant air pollution from a known health hazard? Crazy.

moretaxesnow, Not true, while none of these bars closed there are less people in bars and thier profits are down due to the smoking ban, but yes the idea they would close was a ruse.

Close this loophole then get off the smoking ban train. I'm for the ban and for closing this loophole but at that point enough is definitely enough.