Gronstal: Smoking ban is up in the air
Gronstal: Smoking ban is up in the air
A top leader in the Iowa Legislature said he can’t predict whether a tougher smoking ban will pass this year, simply because of some unusual dynamics between the two chambers.
But Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a former smoker, hopes a bill does pass.
“It’s time to stop smoking,” he said.
The issue has reached a tipping point, the Council Bluffs Democrat said.
"I think it’s in fact past the tipping point," he said. "I think if we don’t pass something this year, next year we will come back and pass something much tougher than anything we’re considering this year."
That’s because the mood of the public has shifted dramatically in just the last year, he said, and Iowans are ready to ban smoking in places such as bars and restaurants.
A 10-member panel of lawmakers tasked with hashing out a compromise bill will likely meet on Monday.
Gronstal said it’s likely they’ll come up with a compromise, but he declined to predict what that might look like.
"It’s actually an interesting equation, one you don’t often see in the Legislature," he said. "On the Senate side, the more exceptions you have, the fewer votes you get. On the House side, the more restrictive it is, the fewer votes you get."
So if the compromise bill allows smoking in the state veteran’s home or at casinos, it would lose votes in the Senate, but it would gain votes in the House.
"It really is an interesting dynamic that I’ve not often seen in the Legislature," Gronstal said.
An Iowa Poll taken in February showed that 75 percent of Iowans favored some sort of new state restrictions on smoking in public places. Of those surveyed, 43 percent supported a statewide ban, and 32 percent preferred a state law allowing local governments to decide whether to ban smoking in their communities.
Bills have flip-flopped through the Statehouse this session.
The House on Feb. 19 passed 56-44 a version that banned smoking in bars and restaurants, but allowed smoking in casinos. The Senate on Feb. 27 passed 29-21 a more sweeping version that would ban smoking in all enclosed places of employment, including bars, restaurants and casinos.
The House then voted 59-40 on March 12 on a version that would have allowed smoking in most bars, casinos and some restaurants, but only during those times when those 21 or older are admitted for on-premise drinking. The Senate rejected that.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com
A top leader in the Iowa Legislature said he can’t predict whether a tougher smoking ban will pass this year, simply because of some unusual dynamics between the two chambers.
But Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a former smoker, hopes a bill does pass.
“It’s time to stop smoking,” he said.
The issue has reached a tipping point, the Council Bluffs Democrat said.
"I think it’s in fact past the tipping point," he said. "I think if we don’t pass something this year, next year we will come back and pass something much tougher than anything we’re considering this year."
That’s because the mood of the public has shifted dramatically in just the last year, he said, and Iowans are ready to ban smoking in places such as bars and restaurants.
A 10-member panel of lawmakers tasked with hashing out a compromise bill will likely meet on Monday.
Gronstal said it’s likely they’ll come up with a compromise, but he declined to predict what that might look like.
"It’s actually an interesting equation, one you don’t often see in the Legislature," he said. "On the Senate side, the more exceptions you have, the fewer votes you get. On the House side, the more restrictive it is, the fewer votes you get."
So if the compromise bill allows smoking in the state veteran’s home or at casinos, it would lose votes in the Senate, but it would gain votes in the House.
"It really is an interesting dynamic that I’ve not often seen in the Legislature," Gronstal said.
An Iowa Poll taken in February showed that 75 percent of Iowans favored some sort of new state restrictions on smoking in public places. Of those surveyed, 43 percent supported a statewide ban, and 32 percent preferred a state law allowing local governments to decide whether to ban smoking in their communities.
Bills have flip-flopped through the Statehouse this session.
The House on Feb. 19 passed 56-44 a version that banned smoking in bars and restaurants, but allowed smoking in casinos. The Senate on Feb. 27 passed 29-21 a more sweeping version that would ban smoking in all enclosed places of employment, including bars, restaurants and casinos.
The House then voted 59-40 on March 12 on a version that would have allowed smoking in most bars, casinos and some restaurants, but only during those times when those 21 or older are admitted for on-premise drinking. The Senate rejected that.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com
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