Posted on 12/13/2013 12:18:12 PM PST by MichCapCon
Restaurants and bars would have the option of allowing smoking on patios and other outdoor portions of their businesses under bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the state Legislature.
"I think this something businesses should be able to offer if they choose to," said Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, the sponsor of House Bill 5159. "People step outside to smoke now anyway.
"I am not a smoker, but to me this is an issue of liberty and property rights," Rep. McMillin continued. "That's why I didn't support the smoking ban legislation when it was in the House. If I was in one of these areas with my children and someone started smoking, I'd go someplace else. I believe that's a choice we always have."
Michigan's smoking ban was signed into law by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Dec. 18, 2009, and took effect May 1, 2010. Under the law, smoking was banned in all public places including workplaces, restaurants and bars.
A key development in Lansing that helped lead to the Legislature's passage of the ban came when the Michigan Restaurant Association took the position that ban or no ban, all bars and restaurants should be treated the same. Basically, the restaurant association told lawmakers there should be no differentiation between restaurants that generally cater to quick in and out customers, and bars and other businesses with established customer bases that often included a high percentage of smokers.
The association, which primarily represents restaurants, is taking the same approach in regard to the outdoor patio smoking issue. Restaurant association spokesman Justin Winslow said the group opposes House Bill 5159 on the basis that the smoking ban is in place and no special exceptions should be made.
"We believe this legislation is well intentioned," Winslow said. "However, at this point we all know that the ban exists and has been established. We support letting us all compete evenly."
Meanwhile, the Michigan Food and Beverage Association, which primarily represents bars and taverns, supports the measure.
"Our position has always been that our members should have the right to determine issues like this themselves," said Jennifer Kluge, spokesperson for food and beverage association. "Many of our members are interested in this. If a facility wants to allow this, it should be their right to choose."
House Bill 5159 has been assigned to the House Regulatory Reform Committee.
The measure has bipartisan support. Rep. Harold Haugh, D-Roseville, Rep. Douglas Geiss, D-Taylor, and Rep. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, who is the committee vice chair, are cosponsors of the bill. Rep. Haugh is the ranking Democrat on the House Regulatory Reform Committee.
"There haven't been any hearings scheduled on the bill yet," Rep. McMillin said. "But I'm hoping we can get a good discussion going on the issue."
Nanny State Ping.
They’ll get my cigar when they pry it from my cold, nicotine stained fingers.
Electronic cigarettes prove that this whole social engineering experiment was not really about the secondhand smoke. Here’s the good news for Non-smoking freepers or non-freepers… You are not dying because you hung out in smoky bars for 30 years.
This is a multibillion dollar racket. Funded by tax dollars from the majillion dollar MSA settlement in 1998 and big pharmaceutical companies who are peddling worthless nicotine gums and patches.
This is not funded by $20 donations from normal people who are annoyed by smoke while dining out.
Although with state governments using all of the MSA money for other budget purposes and electronic cigarettes cutting into the Golmon patch big Pharma market… These anti-smoking groups will have to find a new source of Income to pay for the lease on their Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E350.
PING
Great summary of how this whole thing is going down.
A man who understands liberty and responsibility for personal choices.
bump to a spot on post
The industry's gotta get the bullseye off it's collective back.
P.S. - your FR page is well worth the 15 minutes it takes to scroll through!
Thanks. I haven’t updated it in 3 years. Too busy with the baby girl.
I started and quit with the ecigs Back when they were in their Commodore 64 phase 5 years ago. Now they are in the Apple Macintosh phase. They haven’t gotten quite up to the iPhone and iPad phase but they will.
They have made a lot of progress. I remember going through 15 atomizers a month and having to clean them.
” Here’s the good news for Non-smoking freepers or non-freepers… You are not dying because you hung out in smoky bars for 30 years.’
I’ve smoked for over 60 years.I’m 81.
A smoking friend and I are going out to lunch tomorrow. She’s 80.
Nuff said !!!!
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When you see some stupid liberal poll saying that 18 to 28-year-olds Love the _____(fill in the blank Politician, trend, whatever it is)...
The statists mean it like it’s a sign of Big government policies to come. They wish. Not happening. As the old saying goes… If you are 18 and not a liberal you have no heart if you are 40 and are not a conservative you have no brain. If your grandmother is 81 and is still smoking and you haven’t figured out that the whole anti-smoking movement and global warming movement is a lie you are a retard. :-)
Genetics does help btw.
It’s all about social engineering and cultural norms and perspective and pop culture.
It’s like in the Count of Monte Christo. One day you are a Bonapartist and a hero and the next day you’re a monarchist traitor and a villain. Depends on whose winning the debate/war at the moment.
Nanny State PING!
Good luck on your date. You’re never too old, apparently.
“Good luck on your date.”
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Not a date-—we are both grandmothers although the way things are today you never know about people.
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Thanks for the ping!
Mears - Good thing the Pats are in Miami tomorrow instead of home, eh?
“Good thing the Pats are in Miami tomorrow instead of home, eh? “
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Yep,going to be a sloppy one-—the weather reporters are all jumping up and down in excitement. You’d think this was occurring in July.
I always make sure I have the basics in store,such as Hostess Cherry Pies. :-)
Say hello to Madame D.
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