Published: Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Group seeks vote to soften smoke ban
Tavern owners want bars,
private clubs and bingo halls to be exempt from the ban.
COLUMBUS — A group of Cincinnati bar owners who challenged the Smoke-free Workplace Act in December is taking another crack at the newly enacted law.
Buckeye Liquor Permit Holders is seeking a spot on the statewide ballot to present a series of modifications to the smoking ban. Earlier in the year, the group unsuccessfully challenged the law in a Cincinnati court.
The group filed a petition Monday with the Ohio secretary of state aimed at amending the ban to exempt bars, private clubs and bingo halls, said Tracy Sabetta, vice president of government relations for the American Cancer Society. The proposal would also allow smoking in bowling alleys after 6 p.m., she said.
"It would make it unconstitutional for a community to pass anything stronger," she said.
A long road ahead
According to Sabetta, however, the group is far from its goal of putting the issue back before voters. In order to have a statewide referendum, the group must collect 402,000 signatures by August. It began the process by submitting 1,400 to Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner but needs her approval to begin a larger signature drive. The approval process could take weeks, said Sabetta.
Sabetta, who served as co-chair of the SmokeFreeOhio Issue 5 campaign, said she doubts the group will be able to complete the steps required to have the amendment placed on the ballot.
"It's highly unlikely that they could come up with 402,000 signatures by August," she said. "
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