Bars would get smoking ban grace period

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The owners of some bars and taverns won a victory in the battle to create a statewide smoking ban Friday.

The bill to create a statewide smoking ban already has exemptions for private clubs, as well as gambling facilities, tobacco shops, hookah bars and cigar bars, and the sponsor of the bill Friday suggested one more: an 18-month exemption for bars and taverns.

"So they would actually have 18 months to transition to smoke-free," said Rep. Eric Turner, R-Cicero.

It was an amendment approved by a voice vote with the backing of a co-sponsor, Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary.

"Bars are not going to be able to do this overnight," Brown said, "so this kind of makes sense to say, ‘Hey, here's a warning. You've got 18 months to get your house in order, to talk to your customers and say, “Are you going to leave me as a result of this?"’”

Afterward, Brown said the exemption is part of a deal that ensures the smoking ban will pass.

"This is all about the friendly art of compromise," he said, "and if we get this through and the governor signs, it we'll come back next year and chip away."

Clean air advocates would like to see a complete ban, but they know that bars and taverns have helped kill previous attempts to create one.

"Right now we're happy that it keeps the dialogue going," said Danielle Patterson of the American Heart Association.

The House will cast a final vote on the newest version of the smoking ban as soon as Monday.