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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Rep.
Chelsa Wagner Rep. Dan Frankel |
    
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Wagner, Frankel announce proposals to amend statewide smoking ban
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 8 – State Reps. Chelsa Wagner and Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, held a joint news conference today announcing legislation that would amend the new statewide Clean Indoor Air Act.
The Clean Indoor Air Act takes effect Thursday, Sept. 11, and prohibits smoking in most public places and workplaces, including restaurants, most bars and all nightclubs; factories and other workplaces; trains, buses and taxies; and sports facilities and theatres.
Wagner and Frankel originally supported a stronger, more comprehensive smoking ban that would have allowed counties and local governments to enact stricter bans. However, after that version of the bill passed the House by a 2-to-1 margin, it was ultimately weakened. The bill eventually 'signed into law restricts all counties and local governments, except Philadelphia, from enacting stricter smoking bans. Both lawmakers are proposing legislation to remove the restrictions on stronger local bans.
Wagner's legislation would amend the Clean Indoor Air Act to give Allegheny County a 90 day window of opportunity to establish a stronger smoking ban than the Clean Indoor Air Act. After that time, the county would only be able to change the local ban to make it equivalent with the statewide ban. She noted Allegheny County enacted a comprehensive smoking ban in January 2007 that was later repealed by the courts. She said she believes the county should have been given equal treatment with Philadelphia in the new statewide law.
"By establishing Allegheny County's legal right to enact a comprehensive smoking ban, we can create a level playing field for all of our businesses, rather than picking winners and losers as the statewide ban does, with a ban that truly protects public health in all workplaces," Wagner said.
Frankel's legislation (H.B. 2765) would remove language in the Clean Indoor Air Act in order to allow local governments other than Philadelphia to enact and enforce local stronger smoking ordinances.
"While the Clean Indoor Air Act was a step in the right direction, it is far less comprehensive than the ban we initially, and overwhelmingly, passed in the House," Frankel said. "Communities like Allegheny County, Scranton, and other local governments deserve the freedom to enact ordinances that respond to the demands of the people and actually shield all workers from the dangers of secondhand smoke."
Frankel said under the statewide ban, local elected officials who represent seven out of eight Pennsylvanians are denied the ability to establish ordinances that respond to the demands of their constituents.
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