Below is a listing of the latest news on legislative issues and anti-smoking movements affecting your personal freedom and rights to enjoy cigars. Get Involved, Learn about the Issues, and Take Action!
New law could further limit smoking opportunities in Oklahoma City restaurants
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| May 17th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Oklahoma |
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It seemed most ranchers, oil barons and other folks smoked when some of Oklahoma City’s historic restaurants opened decades ago.
But now, a new law could snuff out smokes in more eating establishments. And the whole idea is lighting up some restaurant owners even though they don’t happen to smoke.
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Oklahoma activists target smoking loopholes
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| October 30th, 2009, 02:11 PM | Oklahoma |
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Anti-smoking proponents say they will push once again for legislation to close loopholes in state law that permit smoking in some bars and restaurants.
The intent is to protect workers from the health effects of secondhand smoke, representatives of the American Heart Association and the state Health Department said.
On Thursday proponents said they would seek legislation similar to a bill that died in the Oklahoma House this year.
The bill would remove exemptions to anti-smoking legislation approved in 2003. The exemptions allow smoking in stand-alone bars and in separately-ventilated smoking rooms in restaurants.
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Law Could Ban Smoking In Oklahoma Businesses
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| February 15th, 2009, 12:38 PM | Oklahoma |
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OKLAHOMA CITY, FEB 15 -- Oklahoma lawmakers are pushing for smoke-free laws in businesses, but smokers and some businesses are pushing back.
A smoke room at Cattlemen's restaurant is used to protect non-smoking customers. State law requires them.
Now, lawmakers are trying to do away with the rooms in restaurants statewide. Long-time smoker Ricky Hodges is not happy.
"It's never enough for the people who want to take your rights away. Thomas Jefferson said most bad government comes from too much government," Hodges said.
Hodges has smoked for the past 36 years. He said he was okay with being relegated to the smoking rooms, but trying to eliminate them is going too far.
"Until smokers stand up and say ‘we're tired of it and we're not going to take it anymore,' they're going to run us clean into the ground, treat us like second class citizens like they already do, and we're tired of it," Hodges said.
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Bill targets smoking rooms
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| January 20th, 2009, 04:34 AM | Oklahoma |
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JAN 20 - The Oklahoma Restaurant Association opposes the move to abolish the rooms.
Sen. David Myers, R-Ponca City, has filed Senate Bill 1036, which would abolish separately ventilated smoking rooms by Sept. 1, 2010. It would ban new or existing restaurants from adding designated smoking rooms after Sept. 1, 2009.
During the last legislative session, Myers' Senate Bill 1875 — which would have wiped out smoking in all restaurants, taverns, bars and hotels — had too few votes to pass.
Myers said the time frame of his current legislation would allow restaurant owners who built the rooms in response to a 2003 law to depreciate the costs.
He said he is willing to negotiate on the date.
Last year, the Oklahoma Restaurant Association was neutral on Senate Bill 1875.
Since then, the association surveyed 175 of its members who had the rooms, said Benny Vanatta, a lobbyist for the association.
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