PA Senate rejects House version of statewide smoking ban

HARRISBURG, Pa. - A bill that would have barred smokers from lighting up in Pennsylvania's restaurants, bars and casinos stalled Monday as the state Senate overwhelmingly rejected the House's version of the measure, delaying final passage until at least the fall.

Senate Republican Leader Dominic Pileggi cited concerns about enforcement costs and a provision that would allow local governments to enact stricter local smoking ordinances among his reasons for urging defeat of the measure, which was rejected by a 36-13 vote.

"This is not an attempt to derail this bill," Pileggi, R-Delaware, said on the Senate floor. "It is only an attempt to work out the differences between the Senate and the House, which are significant."

Erik Arneson, a spokesman for Pileggi, said after the vote that a conference committee of House and Senate members would likely meet in the fall to try to resolve the dispute.

The House voted 141-62 to send its bill to the Senate after the fourth consecutive day of debate over how strict to make the smoking ban sought by Gov. Ed Rendell. The governor has included the ban in his "Prescription for Pennsylvania" initiative aimed at lowering the cost of health care, broadening its availability and improving its quality.

Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo had no immediate comment on the Senate vote.

Both House and Senate versions would ban smoking in most public places and workplaces, including arenas, stores, restaurants, and convention halls. But the Senate allowed full or partial exceptions for more establishments, including a quarter of casino gambling floors, bars where food is one-fifth or less of gross sales, addiction treatment centers and nursing homes and other adult-care centers.

Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery, said the House had improved the Senate's version and urged his colleagues to support the House bill.

"If we (reject the bill) today, we're not going to deal with this bill for months, and it goes a long way to try and kill this bill," Greenleaf said.

Rep. Mike Gerber, D-Montgomery, who sponsored the House version, said a joint House-Senate committee might be needed to craft a bill that both chambers could support.

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