Gerber still fighting for a healthier, smoke-free Pennsylvania:

Rep. Gerber, who introduced the Smoke-Free Pennsylvania Act earlier this year, brought the Commonwealth much closer to having smoke-free public places across the state. Gerber’s bill passed the House by a two-thirds majority after a week of extremely heated debate. Gerber’s efforts were successful despite the efforts of extremely strong and well-funded lobbies such as the tobacco and casino industries. After mounting a strong fight against those special interests and some of Harrisburg’s most powerful officials, Gerber and his rank-and-file colleagues on both sides of the political aisle successfully passed what would be one of the country’s strongest smoking bans.

Gerber’s bill would provide a smoke-free environment in all public places across Pennsylvania, protecting people from the hazardous effects of secondhand smoke and potentially reducing smokers’ intake while saving millions of dollars in health-care costs. Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery, is the prime sponsor in the Senate and Gerber’s partner in this fight. Although enormous progress was made in the House, the Senate passed a much weaker bill and voted down the House’s smoke-free legislation. The issue will be taken up this fall when the House and Senate will try to reach an accord.

Gerber’s efforts were bolstered by significant bipartisan support in the House, as well as from Gov. Rendell, Greenleaf, the Pennsylvania Hospital Association, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, the Mainline Chamber and the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, led by Villanova resident Jim Flanigan, owner of the Boathouse, a pub and restaurant in Conshohocken.