Assembly says light ‘em up; kills smoking ban

Talk about it

Any chance of a statewide smoking ban was snuffed out early today (Thursday), when the Assembly adjourned without voting on the measure.

Anti-smoking advocates promised to be back next year.

Rep. Steve Wieckert, R-Appleton, one of the chief sponsors of the workplace ban, blamed the Tavern League for the defeat.

He said it’s sad that one special interest group can “do in the will of the state.”

Pete Madland of the Tavern League said lots of Wisconsinites favored his group’s effort to exempt bars from the smoking ban – or at least give them a couple years to adjust. He said many remote and small-town watering holes would have gone out of business.

Madland said lawmakers understood there was more at stake than the health of employees. It was about people’s jobs and livelihoods.

It’s also a major political defeat for Gov. Jim Doyle. He tried to portray Wisconsin as the “Ashtray of the Midwest” after Minnesota and Illinois passed smoking bans.

Not even a plea from cycling legend Lance Armstrong swayed lawmakers to act.

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