The Public Health Commission passed a proposed ordinance banning smoking in nearly all Madison public places, including bars and taverns, with an amendment changing the implementation date.
After an hour of discussion and debate, the commission decided its best course of action would be to let the City Council decide the ordinance's effective date when the council votes on the bill April 20. Previously, the Madison Economic Development Commission voted Wednesday to move up the ordinance's implementation date from Jan. 1, 2006, to July 1, 2005.
\I'd make [an amendment] to support the second substitute to be implemented as early as possible as the council deems practical. And let the council say when it's going to happen,"" said Ald. Warren Onken, District 3.
Commission member Shiva Bidar-Sielaff said the ordinance should come into effect Sept. 1, 2005. She said this date would allow ample time for businesses to adjust to the new rules, and it would be more beneficial to the health of Madison residents.
""No matter how long we delay, we are condemning Madisonians to have heart attacks and lung cancer,"" said commission member Dr. John Leech.
Onken said an element of ""let's make a deal"" exists in this bill because of its effect on business. He said he and Ald. Steve Holtzman, District 19, spoke to and dealt with local businesses that would be affected by this bill. Therefore, he said he did not want to arbitrarily choose a date. He said he realized this commission should only represent the health interests of Madison residents, but if the ordinance's effective date were to be set extremely soon, the chances of the City Council killing it instantly are increase.
Under the proposed ordinance, smoking would be banned in all taverns, restaurants and public places. Tobacco stores, tobacco bars, private clubs that provide nonsmoking sections and 25 percent of hotel or motel rooms could still allow smoking under the new ordinance.
Commission member Dr. John Frey said he was worried taverns and bars would find a loophole in the ordinance and classify themselves as tobacco bars.
Ald. Robbie Webber, District 5, said only Maduro, 117 E. Main St., would be classified as a tobacco bar.
""[In order for a place to be a tobacco bar] it must show on record that 10 percent of its sales receipts for 2003 were tobacco products,"" Webber said.
