Posted on 03/28/2006 2:17:44 PM PST by SheLion
AUGUSTA, Maine --The Maine Senate changed its mind Monday about smoking in private clubs and overturned its vote from last week in support of snuffing out smokes in Elks, American Legion and other clubs that have employees.
The Senate's 21-13 vote Monday against the club smoking ban came just a few days after its unexpected vote to put the ban in place. The measure now goes back to the House.
Monday's vote also followed a debate in which senators defending the ban said it's consistent with state policy to protect the health of people in the workplace, while treating businesses and clubs equally on no-smoking regulations.
"Ultimately this is about the health of workers ... It is about fairness," said Sen. Ethan Strimling, D-Portland.
But opposing senators stressed that the state has already dealt with the issue of smoking in clubs. Last week, both the House and Senate gave all-but-final approval to a bill to correct what critics see as a flaw in procedures for voting on whether to allow smoking in private clubs.
In effect, the bill would allow club smoking policy to be decided by a majority of club members who return ballots, rather than a majority of all of a club's members.
Maine should be paying more attention to animal control and less to smoking. We have already had 16 cases of Rabies reported in this state since the beginning of the year and it isn't even warm yet.
What with all the millions Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is getting, it's no wonder they keep pounding away at our rights. I HATE that coalition!!
Rabies? That can't be good. I'm glad I keep my cat indoors!!!
Our military USED to put cigarettes in with the rations, but I am not sure about now. The government probably put a stop to that too! 
This is good.
The Nazi's (Ethan Strimling, Commie -Portland; e.g.)were trying to rig the vote so that a non-cast ballot was to be considered a vote in favor of the ban.
The smarmy little jerk is on the local talk radio more frequently than I can stand and comes across as one of those dweebs who was told all his life what a clever little boy he was and never got over the experience.
Maine's inexorable march to the economic grave continues.
I am soooooo sick of hearing this little phrase;
"Ultimately this is about the health of workers ... It is about fairness"
Blech!
Honey, this issue is starting to confuse me , they've went over it and reversed themselves so much. Just what is the 'final' (yeah, rigght)verdict now? Will the clubs be allowed to vote on it or not?
Minimum wage increase cleared for final votes
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- The Maine Senate reaffirmed its narrow support Monday for a boost in the state minimum wage. In doing so, the Senate rejected a proposed amendment to exempt youths from eligibility for an initial 90-day period of employment.
The Senate action clears the way for final legislative action.
The pending legislation would raise the state's minimum wage in two stages from $6.50 to $7 an hour by October 2007.
Democratic Gov. John Baldacci has lined up in support of the bill.
Don't all lawmakers spew and spit to the point where they confuse us?? They double speak.
But I take this to mean that each club will have to vote. So I sure hope the members smarten up and vote to allow smoking.
The Vet sure earned the right to smoke in their own clubs!!!
Let's wait and see who gets to count the votes in the private clubs. I know what the outcome would be if I was doing the counting.
I hope and pray that they allow smoking again. I sure would love to go out again!!! Since hubby was a Viet Nam Vet, I won't have any problems going in again!!!
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