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Pa. Smoking Ban Passes Senate

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Jun 10, 2008 8:18 pm US/Eastern

Pa. Smoking Ban Passes Senate

It would take effect 90 days after being signed into law

Reporting
Andy Sheehan
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Pennsylvania is just a signature away from a statewide smoking ban.

The state Senate passed the bill 41-9. The House approved it last week and now it's headed for Gov. Ed Rendell's desk. Once signed, Pennsylvania will join more than 30 other states with smoking bans.

The bill is a compromise between the two chambers that took more than a year to hammer out. It will go into effect 90 days after Rendell signs it.

It will ban cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking in restaurants, office buildings, schools, sports arenas, theaters and bus and train stations.

But a dozen exemptions would ensure that smoking can continue at some smaller bars and taverns, portions of casino floors and private clubs.

The bill is bound to still cause controversy in Allegheny County because it allows Philadelphia to keep its much tougher smoking ban, but doesn't allow Allegheny County to pass one of its own.

In a statement, Rendell said he would support any effort to change the new law to allow Allegheny County to have its own ban.

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