The passage of the statewide smoking ban has brought a collective sigh of relief to both sides of the Minnesota River where it bends to the northeast in southern Minnesota. On the north side of the river is North Mankato, which has steadfastly resisted instituting a citywide smoking ban in restaurants and bars despite pressure from citizens, local physicians and nurses groups and the Mankato Area Smoke-free Coalition.
On the south side of the river is Mankato, a city that instituted a smoking ban — sort of — in July 2006. The "sort of" has to do with a provision in its ordinance that permitted bars to allow smoking if they could prove a 15 percent drop in business during an initial three-month nonsmoking trial period. Fifteen bars and service organizations took advantage of the exemption.
On Oct. 1, provided that Gov. Tim Pawlenty signs the bill that the legislature has sent to him, both sides of the river will be smoke-free in all restaurants and bars.
One man who is pleased with the result is North Mankato City Council member Bill Steiner. "We got a victory, didn't we?" he said Monday night in a telephone interview. "I'm really happy."
Steiner, along with the majority of his colleagues on the North Mankato council, have favored a statewide ban while resisting pressure to institute a citywide smoke-free ordinance. He calls the statewide ban "a level playing field."
Steiner, a nonsmoker, has a personal interest as well, as he is the founding member of the Mankato-based band City Mouse, which celebrated its 35th anniversary in December. Come October, Steiner and his bandmates won't have to play in any smoky Minnesota bars anymore.
Rep. Kathy Brynaert, who represents Mankato in the Minnesota House, is also relieved. Though in her first year as a legislator, she has been a longtime advocate for smoking bans, whether at the local or statewide level. None of the exemptions still in the bill was "significant," she said. According to Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato, one of the Senate co-sponsors, they include "smoking on farm vehicles, on family farms, in the Washington County disabled veterans camp and by actors in a play."
Though some members of the legislature talked about adding bar and restaurant patios in the ban, those will remain smoking-permitted areas. Steiner said that one of his bar owner constituents is already building a smokers' patio. Like Steiner, the bar owner is a nonsmoker who opposed a North Mankato ban but sees the statewide smoking ban as a positive step forward.
UPDATE ON EXEMPTIONS
On the south side of the river is Mankato, a city that instituted a smoking ban — sort of — in July 2006. The "sort of" has to do with a provision in its ordinance that permitted bars to allow smoking if they could prove a 15 percent drop in business during an initial three-month nonsmoking trial period. Fifteen bars and service organizations took advantage of the exemption.
On Oct. 1, provided that Gov. Tim Pawlenty signs the bill that the legislature has sent to him, both sides of the river will be smoke-free in all restaurants and bars.
One man who is pleased with the result is North Mankato City Council member Bill Steiner. "We got a victory, didn't we?" he said Monday night in a telephone interview. "I'm really happy."
Steiner, along with the majority of his colleagues on the North Mankato council, have favored a statewide ban while resisting pressure to institute a citywide smoke-free ordinance. He calls the statewide ban "a level playing field."
Steiner, a nonsmoker, has a personal interest as well, as he is the founding member of the Mankato-based band City Mouse, which celebrated its 35th anniversary in December. Come October, Steiner and his bandmates won't have to play in any smoky Minnesota bars anymore.
Rep. Kathy Brynaert, who represents Mankato in the Minnesota House, is also relieved. Though in her first year as a legislator, she has been a longtime advocate for smoking bans, whether at the local or statewide level. None of the exemptions still in the bill was "significant," she said. According to Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato, one of the Senate co-sponsors, they include "smoking on farm vehicles, on family farms, in the Washington County disabled veterans camp and by actors in a play."
Though some members of the legislature talked about adding bar and restaurant patios in the ban, those will remain smoking-permitted areas. Steiner said that one of his bar owner constituents is already building a smokers' patio. Like Steiner, the bar owner is a nonsmoker who opposed a North Mankato ban but sees the statewide smoking ban as a positive step forward.
UPDATE ON EXEMPTIONS
PERMITTED SMOKING
- Scientific study participants.
- Native American ceremonies.
- Private places, including: (1) private homes, private residences, or private automobiles when they are not in use as a place of employment, and (2) a hotel or motel sleeping room rented to one or more guests.
- Tobacco products shops.
- Heavy commercial vehicles.
- Farm vehicles and construction equipment.
- Family farms.
- Disabled veterans rest camp located in Washington County.
- Theatrical productions.