Pennsylvania has a no-smoking bill

The state Senate this afternoon voted, 41-9, in favor of a bill that bans smoking in many public places.

The House already had passed the bill, so now it goes to Gov. Ed Rendell for his signature.

It is a compromise bill that bans smoking in most workplaces and public spaces.

Last week the Senate, led by all 21 Democrats, had rejected the conference committee report on a smoking ban by a 31-19 margin.

But today all the Democrats switched their position, saying that while the smoking ban "isn't perfect," it would protect about 95 percent of public and work places.

Mr. Rendell has vowed to sign the bill, which would take effect 90 days after his signature.

The main reason Allegheny County Democrats opposed the bill last week was that it doesn't permit the county to enact its own smoking ban. The bill does, however, permit Philadelphia to keep its 2-year-old smoking ban. Some Allegheny County legislators thought that was unfair.

But Democratic Leader Robert Mellow of Lackawanna said Republican Senate leaders had agreed to let him submit legislation later to change the state's Second Class County Code to let Allegheny County adopt a smoking law of its own. Also, he will introduce a change to the Second Class A City law, meaning Scranton, to let it adopt a local law.

Allegheny County's previous smoking ban was eliminated in a court challenge, then Scranton put its measure on hold. Mr. Mellow said that if the changes to the state codes are adopted, both areas will have another chance to adopt a local smoking ordinance.

The nine "no" votes today were all Republicans, who considered the smoking law an intrusion by government in the operation of business.

Sen. Mary Jo White, R-Venango, said that if people don't want to go to public places where smoking is permitted, they should simply avoid them, without the state telling people what to do.

"What's next -- the state telling us how much fat we can eat?" she scoffed