PROVIDENCE -- The Senate today approved a ban on smoking in most public
places in the state, leaving exemptions for gambling facilities intact.
The 26-7 vote sends the bill to the House, where legislative leaders
have backed a slightly different version. The proposed ban would take
effect next March.
Rhode Island has more than 300 smoke-free restaurants, but East
Greenwich is the only one of the state's 39 communities to impose
smoking restrictions on eateries.
The Senate bill includes permanent exemptions for the Lincoln Park
gambling center and dog track and Newport Grand.
The House bill includes temporary exemptions for those facilities, and
for private clubs and some bars.
The Senate easily voted down an amendment offered by Sen. Leonidas
Raptakis, D-Coventry, to make the exemptions for the gambling facilities
temporary, until October 2006. He said to be fair to everyone, the ban
should be complete.
But bill sponsor Sen. Susan Sosnowski, D-South Kingstown, said the state
relies heavily on gambling revenues from video lottery terminals at the
two facilities and would be hurt by a loss of business at either.
Governor Carcieri supports a smoking ban. The state Hospitality and
Tourism Association, which opposed more stringent legislation in past
years, supports the ban, but wants a statewide ban with no exemptions.
The American Cancer Society issued a statement after the Senate vote,
saying the permanent exemptions show "disregard for the lives of nearly
1,200 employees at both Newport Grand and Lincoln Park."
Senators "said they place a higher value on the revenue generated from
these facilities," the society said.
The state expects to collect more than $200 million this year in
payments from video lottery revenues at both facilities.
The Senate last year passed a statewide smoking ban, but the bill died
in the House.
House and Senate leaders expect to work out differences in this year's
bills and pass a statewide smoking ban.
In neighboring Massachusetts, more than 90 communities, including
Boston, have some kind of smoking ban. California, Connecticut,
Delaware, Maine and New York have passed statewide bans.
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