Legislature likely to favor statewide smoking ban:
A statewide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants looks likelier than ever.
For several years the biggest obstacle to the ban has been the Republican majority in the state House of Representatives, which was swayed by the concerns of restaurant and bar owners who said the ban would hurt their business. With Democrats set to take control of the House in January, supporters believe their time has come.
And yet, the smarter-than-thou libertarians will continue to assure you that there is no difference between the two parties.
"This is definitely the year for the dialogue to happen," said Pat McKone, president-elect of the Minnesota Smoke-Free Coalition, which includes an array of public health organizations. "We see a lot of acceptance, even from people who once opposed the idea."
Funny, but I don't see a lot of opportunities for "dialogue" when you're talking about the imposition of a statewide smoking ban.
Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty has said he'd sign the ban into law. Some predict the new Legislature could pass it within weeks of the start of the session in January.
We're happy to surrender more freedoms for a better Minnesota.
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