Posted on 03/23/2005 4:32:08 AM PST by SheLion
Republicans in the Colorado Senate have stalled - at least temporarily - the effort to ban smoking in public places statewide.
Senate Minority Leader Mark Hillman of Burlington said all 17 Republican senators are opposing the bill because it infringes on personal freedom and property rights.
"I don't smoke, and I think it's disgusting," Hillman said. "But I'm sick and tired of all these nannies running around telling people what to do."
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Dan Grossman, D-Denver, said he has delayed his plan to introduce the bill.
"I don't want to paint myself into a corner by introducing it in the Senate and making it a partisan issue," Grossman said Tuesday.
Grossman called a news conference on the steps of the Capitol on March 16 to announce his plans to introduce a measure that would ban smoking in public places statewide. He expected to introduce it that afternoon.
A week later, the bill has yet to join the list of proposals that will be considered by the legislature.
The only way to pass the bill out of the Senate is for Grossman to corral all 18 Democratic votes, and he acknowledged that a few Democrats have told him they have reservations about the bill.
"I don't think we jumped the gun," Grossman said of last week's announcement. "We just underestimated the opposition."
The bill's sponsors lined up several key industry groups, including the Colorado Restaurant Association, to support the measure.
Sarah Davis, senior program director for the American Lung Association, said the bill has widespread support, and lawmakers should be willing to vote for it to promote better public health.
"We make sure that food is prepared to a certain temperature, that a restaurant has a certain number of fire exits, that employees wash their hands after going to the bathroom," Davis said. "We don't let the marketplace decide those matters of public health."
Davis suggested that Hillman is swaying votes because he has previously accepted money from the tobacco industry.
According to a report compiled by Common Cause, Hillman received $2,000 from the tobacco industry between 1996 and 2002.
The report also says Hillman received an additional $4,700 from tobacco subsidiaries and "allies." The same report shows Grossman received $2,200 from subsidiaries and allies, but nothing from the industry.
Hillman dismissed the claim that the contributions affect his decision.
"They ought to spend more time defending their stupid bill instead of impugning the motives of people who want to allow adults to make adult decisions," Hillman said.
Sure. Anytime someone wants to help private business owner's and to stop the economy choking smoking bans, we are accused of working for Big Tobacco! This is a blatant lie!
I just wonder what is next? First tobacco, then fast foods, what is next? I thought we were a FREE country!
I rather have someone smoke in front of me than chew tobacco. I nearly fainted when a man expelled his mouth contents into a paper cup in front of me *lol*
Republicans with cajones? Nah, can't be...
Doesn't matter anyway, they're going to starve us all to death for smoking.
The restaurant associations are tools of the "Big Franchise" operations and see this as a way to drive the mom and pop neighborhood bars out of business.
Follow the money, minnie.
Finally!!! Somebody is getting it right! Taking away the rights of business owners has got to stop! If one doesn't want to be around smokers in a bar or restaurant that allows smoking, then don't go in the establishment. Your choice!
The bill's sponsors lined up several key industry groups, including the Colorado Restaurant Association, to support the measure.
And, their donations toward the smoking ban speaks volumes!
Apparently smoker's business isn't profitable.
I think you misunderstood. The association is for the ban. The ban would drive moms & pops out of business. Big chains would benefit.
You are absolutley correct.........especially in light of the fact that Philip Morris refuses to step in and oppose the issue of smoker bans.
Yep, an organization asking for more government at higher levels. Sounds like it is worth the support of all governments.
We ARE free except when it comes to smoking and smokers. The lawmakers are doing everything they can to punish, control and ban us. One would have thought they would have started with banning tobacco first, right?
They sure can't live without smoker's tax dollars though. And to think that the tax dollars on cigarettes are paying for all of this abuse is mind boggling.
That is EXACTLY what is going on here. The restaurant associations are, for the most part, controlled by the chains. As a rule they can handle a downward turn in business because they know their competition can't withstand it.......in a short period of time the chains will be the only games left in town.
Smoker bans are government sanctioned monompoly deals for the chain restaurants.
Get a life!
don't encourage the trolls.
I wonder if we have any of those in Maine? Ah...........guess not. :(
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