Smoking ban snuffed out in committee

• By MARSHA SHULER
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jun 10, 2009 - Page: 10A

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Efforts to further restrict smoking in public venues appear dead for the 2009 regular legislative session.

The death knell came as the Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee voted overwhelmingly against state Senate-passed legislation even after being “watered-down.”

Senate Bill 186 would have banned smoking in all Louisiana bars, casinos and other gambling establishments. That was the version the Senate passed May 28 on a 22-10 vote.

During House committee testimony Tuesday, SB186 sponsor state Rep. Rob Marionneaux proposed a compromise that would have banned smoking only at bars that sell food.

Marionneaux said he had seen the handwriting on the wall as gambling interests helped shoot down a similar House bill when it came up on the floor last week. The House rejected on June 2 a similar measure that would have banned smoking in bars and casinos on a 29 for to 71 against vote.

“I have heard the drum beat behind me. The dice-hall boys have won again,” said Marionneaux, D-Grosse Tete.

Lobbyists for casino and other gambling interests continued to oppose the legislation even after their businesses were exempted from the proposed ban.

Marionneaux said his amended legislation would only try to correct a disparity in current law that bans smoking in restaurants but continues to allow smoking in bars that sell food. That inequity has been a complaint of the restaurant industry, he said.

Extending the ban — even in its altered state — would help cut down on non-smokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke, which causes 1,100 deaths annually in Louisiana, Marionneaux said.

The House panel approved Marionneaux’s amendment on a 10-5 vote.

But later, the panel rejected the amended bill with six committee members voting for it and 11 voting against it.

“This is about choice,” said state Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Marksville. “It seems to me that we should leave it up to the owners of bars.”

State Rep. Rick Nowlin, R-Natchitoches, said someone needs to represent smokers. “Where are they going to go? We are gradually reducing their options here.”