State Rep. Charlie Brown, the long-time advocate behind a statewide smoking ban, is encouraged by talks of lawmakers passing such a ban before the Super Bowl.
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma told the Associated Press on Thursday that lawmakers may seek passage of a statewide smoking ban before the nation’s attention turns to Indianapolis for the February event.
Bosma said Thursday that he may speed through a statewide smoking ban since Indianapolis’ City-County Council on Tuesday voted down a proposal to ban smoking in the city ahead of the Feb. 5 Super Bowl.
Brown, who has attempted to pass a smoking ban five times at the Indiana General Assembly, called adopting the measure proactive.
“It’s past time for us to be aggressive about passing a comprehensive smoking ban,” Brown said. “My preference is comprehensive meaning no exemptions whatsoever but reality is because of the might and money of the casinos that most likely the majority of my colleagues would be willing to exempt casinos.”
Brown, D-Gary, plans on filing a bill banning smoking statewide with the exemption of casinos and cigar bars. Brown agrees to exempting gaming floors but wants areas in casinos that children can access smoke free. Last year, the House passed a smoking ban, but the bill died in the Senate.
“I’m hoping that’s a good sign if the speaker has said he would want this done prior to the Super Bowl,” Brown said, “and that’s mainly because we’re going to be embarrassed with people coming all over the country in many cases from areas that have already done this and accomplished a smoking ban.”
If lawmakers don’t pass a ban, Brown argued that Indiana’s image would suffer.
“It is going to be a big gala, a fantastic time in downtown Indianapolis,” Brown said. “We don’t need a black eye from visitors suffering through smoke.”
A handful of Northwest Indiana municipalities have passed bans. Lowell’s ban prohibits smoking in all public places including bars and private clubs. Valparaiso and Crown Point also have bans but allow certain exemptions.
South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority President and CEO Speros Batistatos said a patchwork of local ordinances banning smoking don’t create a level and consistent playing field for businesses.
“It would have a very positive effect on the state of Indiana,” Batistatos said. “Hundreds of thousands of visitors coming into Indianapolis would be frankly stunned walking into a third world country that doesn’t have a smoking ban in place.”
Yet, compromise is essential in passing a ban, state Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso.
“If people come in and say, ‘I want every cigarette in the state of Indiana stamped out no one can smoke anywhere,’ it’s not going to pass I guarantee you,” Soliday said.
Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Terry Hufford doesn’t expect a statewide smoking ban to hurt businesses.
“People, somewhat even smokers, are resolved that there’s going to be places they like to dine, drink or shop that are not going to accept cigarettes while they are in the place,” Hufford said. “They are adjusting to that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.