Washington state residents please read

[rramstad]

(Mods: I wasn't able to find a more logical place for this, please move if appropriate, thanks.)

Hi everyone, and first, happy International Pipe Smoking Day!

On this day, take positive action, and let's do what we can to help support our rights and the rights of fellow Washington state cigar and pipe smokers.

House Bill 1683, the Cigar Bar and Cigar Lounge Bill, would allow for special permits to again allow smoking in tobacconists' shops and cigar bars, is currently being held in the House Ways & Means Committee.

To get the bill down the road to the next step, we need Chairman Ross Hunter to allow a vote on the bill and include it in his budget proposal.

Please take a moment to contact Rep. Hunter and express your desire to see Washington state allow adults to enjoy a legal product in a controlled responsible environment... and it wouldn't hurt to stress the revenues that the state would get, both from the permits themselves and from the increased business activity and sales of liquor. The legislature is trying right now to figure out how to balance the budget, and they should be looking at ALL possible sources of revenue.

Rep. Hunter can be reached via email at

ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov

and via phone at

(360) 786-7936 (Olympia)

or leave a message via the legislative hotline at

(800) 562-6000

Do it now! The session is short, and bills that make it out of committee earlier and are included in budget proposals have a much better chance of passing. Other cigar and pipe smokers thank you!

 

[rramstad]

If you haven't called and/or emailed yet, please do it today!

It seems we are getting some traction on this.

The executive summary is that the Senate budget includes the Senate version of this bill, and if Rep. Hunter includes the House bill in the House budget, there is a VERY good chance that this will become law when they reconcile the two budgets together... at that point, no one will want to remove the new legislation because they'd need to either come up with an alternate revenue source or more budget cuts.

So, once again, Rep. Hunter can be reached via email at

ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov

and via phone at

(360) 786-7936 (Olympia)

or leave a message via the legislative hotline at

(800) 562-6000

Thanks!

 

[Alwayslit]

Good luck on this.

 

[AlohaStyle]

Done

 

[L8A]

Good luck to you guys.

 

[Gravity]

Just saw this today, is there anymore word on it yet?

 

[rramstad]

I have not heard anything definitive. If I don't hear anything by the end of the week, I will check with my contacts and post when I hear back, probably next week sometime.

 

[Gravity]

I have not heard anything definitive. If I don't hear anything by the end of the week, I will check with my contacts and post when I hear back, probably next week sometime.

Thanks very much, really appreciate it. Here's hoping for good news.

 

[AlohaStyle]

I just got an email back from Rep. Hunter today, not good.... What a bunch of BS... the only places this bill would allow smoking is at a cigar lounge/B&M. How many people that work at a cigar B&M/lounge do not like cigars? WA doesn't have that many places that would even want to have a lounge, so we're talking 150 total employees probably, maybe 10 wouldn't smoke cigars!


Thank you for your message concerning HB1683 that would exempt cigar bars and retail tobacco shops from Washington’s Clean Indoor Air Act. In 2005 voters passed Initiative 901, which expanded a ban on smoking in public places to include schools, bars, taverns, bowling alleys, casinos, reception areas, at least 75 percent of the sleeping quarters in hotels and motels, and places of employment. In general, legislatures are reluctant to change or overturn initiatives brought by voters.

There were concerns about potential effects to employee health for those employed by cigar lounges expressed by many legislators, and there was not enough support to pass the bill this year.

Rep. Ross Hunter
Chair, Ways and Means
ross.hunter@leg.wa.gov

Read my blog at http://www.rosshunter.info

Capitol Campus
Olympia, WA 98504

 

[Gravity]

Time to let them know how we feel with our votes.

 

[gardizzle]

The very thought of this bill passing runs counter to the narrow minded views of the majority in our State Legislature. This response does not surprise me one bit. They don't care that it would likely not affect non cigar smokers. They look at all smoking as abhorrent and vile. Did I mention they are spineless as well. Sorry. Rant over.

 

[Gravity]

The very thought of this bill passing runs counter to the narrow minded views of the majority in our State Legislature. This response does not surprise me one bit. They don't care that it would likely not affect non cigar smokers. They look at all smoking as abhorrent and vile. Did I mention they are spineless as well. Sorry. Rant over.

Harrumph!

 

[rramstad]

Earlier today someone else forwarded me that same email.

The situation was definitely odd in that we had been told that the Senate budget would include the cigar lounge bill, and that we needed to put pressure on the House. Lo and behold, the Senate budget came out without the cigar lounge bill, which basically meant we were dead in the water. Some additional efforts were made, but ultimately, failed.

I get the feeling that the situation will not change without an initiative, which unfortunately we tried to do once before, and failed to even get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.