Illinois lawmakers try to exempt casinos from smoking ban
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SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers Wednesday again rejected a plan to allow smoking in Illinois casinos.
The fight to exempt casinos and other places such as veteran’s clubs from the smoking ban has been fought since the ban itself was approved by lawmakers last year. So far, no exemptions have been granted.
Wednesday, a Senate committee approved a plan to exempt casinos from the ban for up to five years, saying the riverboats are seeing less income because of it.
But after the plan moved to the full Senate later Wednesday, lawmakers rejected it by a 15-35 vote.
Supporters argued the ban has hurt business at the riverboats as gamblers on the state’s borders have gone to Iowa, Indiana or Missouri where they can light-up indoors.
“We’re just trying to do something that would be reasonable for everybody,” said Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson, a Greenville Republican and the plan’s sponsor.
State Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, argued cash-strapped patrons are why the casinos are seeing less action, not the smoking ban.
“This is the economy,” Link said.
State Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said the panel’s approval of the exemption showed how much influence the gaming industry has on lawmakers
“That’s not true for the veteran’s clubs, that’s not true for the small bar owners and tavern owners in my district,” said Righter, who voted “no.”
Bob Swaim, a spokesman for Jumer’s Casino Rock Island argued before the committee that the smoking ban was sending gamblers across the Mississippi River to the boats in Iowa.
“What the smoking ban did to us is the worst thing to happen to us in long, long, long time,” Swaim said.
State Sen. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete, voted against the exemption, saying that while the casinos may be taking in less money, numbers show attendance at the casinos hasn’t dropped since the ban took effect in January.
The legislation is Senate Bill 2707.
Mike Riopell can be contacted at (217) 789-0865 or mike.riopell@lee.net.
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