Smoking ban may be dead

A limited statewide smoking ban appeared dead for the 2011 session on Thursday after a House-Senate conference committee stripped it from a must-pass revenue measure.

Sponsored by Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, and Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, the measure would outlaw smoking in public places such as bars and restaurants. Pool halls, cigar bars and charitable bingo were exempted from the bill.

The House, in an amendment by Crownover, included the ban in the revenue measure late last week but House and Senate negotiators writing a final version of the bill Thursday voted to eliminate it.  The ban was supported by four of the five House conferees but none of the five representatives from the Senate.

"I am extremely disappointed that the will of the people has again been thwarted by the Texas Legislature when it comes to passing Smoke-Free legislation," said Ellis.

Crownover, saying she was not ready to proclaim the bill dead, met with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the Senate's presiding officer and a smoking ban supporter, in an attempt to salvage the proposal. 

"We're still working last minute miracles and magic," Crownover told the Star-Telegram.  "The lieutenant governor is working on it right now. We're optimistic."

  -- Dave Montgomery

Comments

[John Q]

Does any body really give a rat's behind about this bill?

[Fred]

I don't smoke. But I fully back the right of a business owner to allow smoking in the establishment that he has HIS money, HIS reputation, and HIS livelihood based on. If you don't like to be around cigarette smoking, as I don't- then DON'T GO THERE!!! It is called "Free Enterprise" and a "Free Market", where customers dictate to businesses whether or not they will accept that business's practices or not. If enough people won't go there, then the owner will either willingly change his policy, or he will go out of business. It's that simple. You people who want the "government" to ban smoking everywhere will be crying out of the other side of your mouth when the "government" starts taking away things that YOU want. Wake up!! This is NOT a nanny state!

[Michael Macphail]

Sigh. Another legislature ignores the desire of the majority of people in Texas to be able to provide business owners with valuable income while protecting the health of their employees and customers. I do not understand why a democracy loses to the minority in this matter as there are less smokers than non-smokers in this State.

[Mike LaPlace]

What is even more disgusting is that 37 "Republicans" supported
state nannies over personal freedom, property rights and freedom
by sponsoring this outrageous bill.

Below is a list of the authors and/or coauthors.
I hope that freedom loving Texans will remember them this
next primary.

Name Party District
Allen D 131
Alonzo D 104
Alvarado D 145
Anchia D 103
Castro D 125
Coleman D 147
"Davis,Yvonne" D 111
Deshotel D 22
Dutton D 142
Eiland D 23
Farias D 118
Gallego D 74
Giddings D 109
"Gonzales,Veronica" D 41
"Gonzalez,Naomi" D 76
Gutierrez D 119
Hochberg D 137
"Howard,Donna" D 48
Johnson D 100
Lozano D 80
LucioIII D 38
MalloryCaraway D 110
"Martinez,""Mando""" D 39
MartinezFischer D 116
McClendon D 120
Miles D 146
"Munoz,Jr." D 36
Naishtat D 49
Oliveira D 37
Pickett D 79
Quintanilla D 75
Reynolds D 27
"Rodriguez,Eddie" D 51
Strama D 50
Thompson D 141
Turner D 139
Villarreal D 123
Walle D 140
Aycock R 54
Berman R 6
Bohac R 138
Brown R 14
Button R 112
Callegari R 132
Chisum R 88
Craddick R 82
Crownover R 64
Darby R 72
Eissler R 15
Fletcher R 130
Hamilton R 19
Harless R 126
Hartnett R 114
Hilderbran R 53
Hopson R 11
Isaac R 45
Keffer R 60
"King,Susan" R 71
Kolkhorst R 13
Margo R 78
Morrison R 30
Nash R 93
Otto R 18
"Patrick,Diane" R 94
Pitts R 10
Sheets R 107
Sheffield R 55
Shelton R 97
"Smith,Todd" R 92
"Smith,Wayne" R 128
Smithee R 86
"Taylor,Larry" R 24
Torres R 33
Woolley R 136
Zerwas R 28

In addition the following senators were
authors and/or coauthors of SB355 which does
the same thing.

Name Party District
Davis D 10
Ellis D 13
Hinojosa D 20
Rodriguez D 29
Van de Putte D 26
Zaffirini D 21

[Michelle]

well said Fred!!! We are being stripped of our rights enough as it is, soon we will be told what foods to eat, if we continue on this slippery slope

[MichaelJMcFadden]

MacPhail said, "
Another legislature ignores the desire of the majority of people in Texas to be able to provide business owners with valuable income while protecting the health of their employees and customers"

You have to love it when the Antis get caught up in their own misstatements! MacPhail, business owners are already PERFECTLY free to provide themselves "with valuable income while protecting the health of their employees and customers"

There is NOTHING in current law stopping them from banning smoking on their own, and if they believe it would improve their income to do so then they would have to be pretty stupid not to do so. Are you trying to say that Texas business owners are stupid? Do you feel that way about all Texans? Sheeesh!

Michael J. McFadden
Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"