Council vote tables smoking ban

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Smoking rules will stay the same in Marion County. Monday night, the City-County Council rejected a proposal to create a smoking ban.

The vote was 12 "yes" and 13 "no" -- meaning it was an "indecisive" vote.

At the meeting, the two groups on either side of the issue divided themselves by colors. Red shirts on one side wanted to preserve the right to smoke in bars. The green shirts on the other side wanted more restrictions.

"In this debate, we are talking about the health and lives of workers. The health and lives of workers threatened by secondhand smoke, indoors. The importance of workers’ lives and health trump the liberty interests of smoking indoors, where people work," said City-County Councilmember Brian Mahern (D).

The red shirts clearly rejected that argument, preferring to let adults make their own decisions.

City-County Councilmember Ed Coleman (L) said, "They choose to work there. They choose to walk in there and, if somebody is not intelligent enough to make the right decision for their own personal safety, that is not the government's place to tell them and protect them."

But when it came time to vote, two councillors abstained setting up the 12 to 13 result.

Then the council voted to "table" the proposal.

For the red side, that's a victory.

Brad Klopfenstein, with the group Save Our Bars, said, "What happened was not unexpected. Obviously, there's a lot of political wrangling on things like this. You saw there were a lot of amendments that were offered. That could have really changed the number of votes in there."

Around Central Indiana, Bloomington, Cumberland, Greencastle, Hancock County, Monroe County, Zionsville and Plainfield have the strictest bans, which include all bars and restaurants.

There are several other locations that have partial bans including Westfield that just went into effect Wednesday. Below you will find a complete list of Central Indiana smoking bans and the rules.

• Avon - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars
   
• Carmel - banned in all enclosed workplaces and common-use areas, including restaurants -- exempts bars that don't employ or serve people under 21
   
• Columbus - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars and private clubs
   
• Delaware County - banned in all enclosed workplaces, exempting bars and restaurants
   
• Franklin - banned in all enclosed workplaces, exempting bars and restaurants and private clubs
   
• Greenfield - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars
   
• Greensburg - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars
   
• Greenwood - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars
   
• Indianapolis - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including bars and restaurants serving or employing persons younger than 18 -- exempts bowling alleys, tobacco bars, tobacco stores, and private clubs
   
• Kokomo - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars, private clubs, nursing homes and any establishments serving alcohol and not serving patrons under 21
   
• Seymour - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars and private clubs
   
• Shelbyville - banned in all enclosed workplaces except bars and restaurants
   
• Speedway - banned in all enclosed workplaces, including restaurants but exempting bars
   
• Westfield - banned in public places within the city, but is still allowed in bars and restaurants that serve only people 21 years or older. In hotels, smoking is allowed only in designated smoking rooms.
   
• Whitestown - banned in all enclosed workplaces except bars and restaurants