Fifteen years after Pennsylvania enacted a law to ban indoor smoking in most workplaces, a veteran House Democratic lawmaker is pushing legislation to extend the law to include currently exempt casinos, bars and private clubs.
The sponsor of House Bill 1657, Health Committee Majority Chairman Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, held a public hearing last week on the bill. The testimony indicates a split between public health organizations, some workers groups and business groups over some provisions of the legislation.
Mr. Frankel’s bill would end the exemption of casinos, bars and private clubs under the 2008 Clean Indoor Air Act and expand the definition of smoking to add e-cigarettes. It would allow smoking only in personal residences, outdoor spaces not defined in the bill and vehicles not used for daycare services.
