The Colorado House is expected to cast a final vote today on the controversial statewide smoking ban.
The vote comes after a flip-flop fight in the House on Tuesday when lawmakers first agreed to remove bars from the ban, then later decided to kick smokers out of bars.
On Tuesday, a bartender- turned-lawmaker offered his wallet as proof that smoking bans are bad for business.
“Tips to me are down,” said Rep. Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, where his community has banned smoking.
“Yes, I’ll probably live longer – but with less money,” he said.
The ban’s chief sponsor – Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez – said his truck stop’s business improved after it became the first in the nation to go smoke- free.
Senate Bill 207 passed the Senate last week with a provision that allowed smoking in some bars, but a House committee returned the bill closer to its original form on Monday.
The House version lets smokers continue to puff in casinos, but not in bars.
Weissmann, who abstained from voting, said he hoped that the House version would include bars in the ban because that version likely wouldn’t win enough votes to survive in the Senate.
Staff writer Mark P. Couch can be reached at 303-820-1794 or mcouch@denverpost.com.
