Of Pennsylvania’s 17 casinos, 15 allow smoking on half of the gaming floor or close to it. While many states include casinos under public smoking bans adopted as a health issue in recent decades, Pennsylvania and some others - including neighboring New Jersey - carved out exemptions due to industry concerns that too many gamblers who smoke would quit visiting to play slots and table games. Just two of 17 casinos have voluntary bans Kathy Rapp, the ranking Republican on the committee, who added she generally supports the bill and is hopeful a compromise can be reached on how to address private clubs prior to a full House vote. This is not about the cigarettes to me, it’s about the freedom to choose,” said Rep. “I have to honor those veterans … and their freedom to choose what steps they want to take or not to be in a smoke-free environment. Their objection was to also eliminating the Clean Indoor Air Act’s exemption for private clubs - most notably veterans organizations - which they termed “government overreach.” Much of the basis for the bill results from an exemption for casinos in Pennsylvania’s Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008, which allows smoking on up to 50% of gaming floors, and GOP members of the Health Committee voiced no concern about sending gamblers to the casinos’ outdoor patios if they want to light up. Democrats have a majority in the House by a narrow margin, while Republicans who control the state Senate have yet to show any interest in expanding smoking bans. House Health Committee Chairman Dan Frankel’s proposed Protecting Workers from Secondhand Smoking Act ( HB1657) was sent to the full House by a close vote with all Democrats supporting it and all Republicans opposed. Caesars Palace Online Casino Bonus CodeĪ legislative committee approved for the first time Wednesday a bill that would ban smoking inside Pennsylvania casinos, but its vote along party lines made clear the measure is a long way from passage.

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