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Please click on the links below to view an announcement of particular interest or scroll down the page to view all recent announcements: »  Norfolk, VA, City Council Rescinds Restaurant Smoking Ban Ordinance (3/26/08) »  Virginia's Governor Continues Quest for Restaurant Smoking Ban (2/22/08) »  Smoking Ban Legislation Defeated in Virginia's House (2/15/08) »  David Meyer of Milan Tobacconists Speaks Out on Smoking Ban Legislation (2/7/08) »  Virginia Senate Passes Broad Smoking Ban Bills (2/6/08) »  12 Smoking Bans Filed for 2008 Virginia General Assembly (1/18/08)
Norfolk, VA, City Council Rescinds Restaurant Smoking Ban Ordinance (3/26/08) Norfolk City Council rescinded an ordinance it passed last fall that would have banned smoking in city restaurants beginning March 31, 2008. City Council voted 5-2 to repeal the ordinance on March 25th, which passed 7-1 in October 2007. According to The Associated Press, Council members reversed course because of concerns that Norfolk restaurants would lose business to surrounding cities. Norfolk would have been the first city in Virginia to ban smoking in restaurants.
Virginia's Governor Continues Quest for Restaurant Smoking Ban (2/22/08) Virginia Governor Tim Kaine continues his quest for a statewide smoking ban in restaurants despite opposition, hopeful he can convince House subcommittee members to reconsider and bring the bill to the floor for discussion. "I have a feeling if it comes up for a vote, one might pass now; we might need to make some adjustments," said Kaine. "We are working with leadership to see if there is some version of it to come up for a vote." The Virginia Beach Restaurant Association took out a full page ad in The Virginian Pilot on Wednesday, February 20th, sending a strong message to the only lawmaker who can revive a statewide smoking ban bill in the House - Virginia Beach Delegate Terrie Suit.
Smoking Ban Legislation Defeated in Virginia's House (2/15/08) Virginia smokers have another year to continue lighting up inside restaurants and other public places. A six-delegate subcommittee in the Virginia House has effectively killed nearly a dozen bills designed to ban smoking in various places. Subcommittee members said the government shouldn't be telling business owners what to do on their own property. Additionally, they said that many restaurants in Virginia are already smoke-free, which gives nonsmokers a choice. Supporters of the defeated legislation intend to reintroduce it next year.
David Meyer of Milan Tobacconists Speaks Out on Smoking Ban Legislation (2/7/08) Anti-smoking lobby groups released a survey on February 6th stating that three fourths of Virginia voters favor a broad ban on smoking. The report comes as four major anti-smoking bills pass in the Senate Education and Health Committee. Proponents of a ban say the danger of secondhand smoke no longer can be ignored. "We are way beyond the years when we could say if you want to smoke, yourself, it's OK because you aren't affecting other people," said Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington. Senate Bill 298 would make lighting up in a public place illegal. Some exceptions include smoking in home offices, cars and private clubs. The ban has a broad reach that would please many and upset others, the survey reports. Although 96 percent of Virginian voters surveyed stated secondhand smoke is a health hazard, opponents of the ban say, regardless of public opinion, the government should not get involved in private-business decisions. "It should be up to the owner of the establishment (whether to allow smoking)," said David Meyer of Milan Tobacconists, a Roanoke tobacco shop. Meyer receives a lot of business from country clubs, hotels, and people who want to enjoy a cigar at the smoker-friendly restaurant next door to his shop. If the smoking ban passes, Meyer and the entire tobacco industry would lose customers. "The tobacco industry provides a lot of revenues for the state," Meyer said. The tobacco industry contributed $5.5 million to the General Assembly over the past decade, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, an online database that tracks campaign contributions. Courtesy of The Commonwealth Times.
Virginia Senate Passes Broad Smoking Ban Bills (2/6/08) The Senate voted 23-15 on February 5th to pass legislation to ban smoking in most indoor public places. The Senate also passed more narrow restrictions, including two local-option bills and one backed by Governor Timothy Kaine to prohibit smoking in restaurants and bars statewide. All four anti-smoking bills now go to the House of Delegates. The House last year rejected a restaurant smoking ban. Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple's bill would prohibit smoking not only in restaurants, but also in banks, sporting arenas, shopping malls, and most other public places. It exempts hotel rooms designated for smoking, specialty tobacco stores, and private rooms in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The Arlington Democrat says research shows that smoking kills about 9,000 Virginians a year, and exposure to secondhand smoke claims an additional 1,000 lives. Without debate, the Senate also voted 28-10 to pass the bill banning smoking in restaurants and bars. The other two bills would allow localities to enact smoking ordinances and give some Hampton Roads localities the authority to enact bans. Courtesy of The Associated Press.
12 Smoking Bans Filed for 2008 Virginia General Assembly (1/18/08) Below is a summary of smoking ban bills for both the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates. SENATE LEGISLATION (All Senate bills have been referred to the Senate Education and Health Committee): SB 202 by Senator Fred Quayle (R-Suffolk) - Calls for outright ban in any establishment that has a Department of Health license to operate as a restaurant. It would also allow local ordinances to be more powerful than the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act. SB 298 by Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington) - Calls for outright ban, but unlike Governor's version, this one exempts private clubs. SB 347 by Senator Harry Blevins (R-Chesapeake) - Calls for local authority for the City of Chesapeake. It actually calls for an outright ban in the city for both indoor and outdoor venues where food is served. SB 501 by Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) and Senator Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) - This is the Governor's Senate version of his smoking ban. It is an across-the-board ban, including private clubs (though it has the exception for tobacco retail establishments). HOUSE LEGISLATION (All House bills have been referred to the House General Laws Committee): HB 288 by Delegate David Englin (D-Alexandria) - as his own introduction of a state smoking ban and allowance of local governments to pass ordinances stronger than that of the Commonwealth. The bill specifically targets bars and lounges, and any establishment that has a Health Department permit. HB 500 by Delegate Phil Hamilton (R-Newport News) - as his own statewide smoking ban. Delegate Hamilton chairs the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee. This version does not apply to private clubs. HB 572 by Delegate Algie Howell (D-Norfolk) - this is the Governor's bill in the House of Delegates, making it a statewide public and private smoking ban. HB 821 by Delegate Harvey Morgan (R-Gloucester) - as his own version of the same bill he introduced last year, which calls for a statewide smoking ban. HB 1063 by Delegates Brink, Amundson, Barlow, Bulova, Ebbin, Eisenburg, Englin, Plum, Poisson, Scott, J.M., Sickles, Vanderhye, and Watts, as a "coalition bill" for Northern Virginia by most of their Delegates and all Democrats. It allows for a "concurrent resolution" that would empower virtually every Northern Virginia local government to enact its own smoking ban if two-thirds of the local governments so choose. HB 1253 by Delegate Dave Marsden (D-Burke)- as a restaurant-only smoking ban. HB 1341 by Delegate William Barlow (D-Smithfield) - as his own version of a restaurant smoking ban; it allows local ordinances to be stronger than that of the Commonwealth. HB 1432 by Delegate Algie Howell (D-Norfolk) - Allows cities with a population over 200,000 to have ordinances that exceed those of the Commonwealth, with its own definition of restaurant, "to also include bars and lounges." Courtesy of The Cigar Association of Virginia. To learn more, please visit www.savemycigar.org.