HARRISBURG—With
the General Assembly poised to pass a Clean Indoor Air bill, a new
study by PennPIRG shows that a series of proposed amendments to the
bill could make Pennsylvania's the weakest bill in the region, and one
of the weakest bills passed in any state recently. Proposed amendments
to SB 246, sponsored by Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf (R-12), will include
exemptions for some bars, private clubs, and casinos. New Jersey, Ohio,
and Maryland have all passed laws smoking in restaurants, bars, and
private clubs, while New York bans smoking in restaurants and bars.
"Across the
country, smoke-free bills have been getting stronger as the news about
the dangers of secondhand smoke keeps getting worse," said James
Browning, Director of PennPIRG. " Is the health of workers in Pennsylvania any less important?"
PennPIRG's study
also includes an analysis of the connection between secondhand smoke
exposure and rising health care costs, the failure of ventilation
systems to protect people from the effects of secondhand smoke, and the
economic impact of smoke-free laws on bars, restaurants, and gambling
venues in other states.
