Feb 5, 2007 4:37 pm US/Central
Smoking Ban Passes First Senate Committee
St. Paul (AP) ―
-
-
The Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee approved the statewide smoking ban on a divided voice vote after denying amendments that would have allowed smoking in bars with ventilation systems and established a licensing procedure for bar smok
Legislation to outlaw smoking in Minnesota bars and restaurants passed its first Senate committee on Monday. Its next challenge will be to survive a vote in a more business-friendly panel.
The Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee approved the statewide smoking ban on a divided voice vote after denying amendments that would have allowed smoking in bars with ventilation systems and established a licensing procedure for bar smoking sections.
The bill now heads to the Senate Business, Industry and Jobs Committee, where bar owners who oppose the proposal hope to find more receptive ears.
-------
Secondhand smoke is a leading cause of preventable death in the United
States. In 2005, it was estimated that, each year, exposure to
secondhand smoke in the United States kills more than 3,000 adult
nonsmokers from lung cancer and approximately 46,000 from coronary
heart disease.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
