Only a handful of the 46 people who signed up to speak Monday night about a proposed citywide ban on smoking were able to air their views to Springfield City Council.
Mayor Jim O'Neal and the three council members who sponsored the smoke-free air ordinance unanimously withdrew their ordinance shortly after an amendment passed 6-3, allowing exceptions to certain not-for-profit groups.
The smoke-free ordinance, announced by O’Neal and representatives of advocacy group One Air Alliance June 10, proposed a ban on smoking in nearly all public spaces, eliminating dozens of exemptions for bars and restaurants under the current law passed in 2003. But after amendments again opened the door to exemptions, representatives of anti-smoking groups One Air and American Cancer Society withdrew their support of the bill.
During the ordinance’s first reading and public hearing Monday, council approved an O’Neal-proposed amendment to the bill in question, exempting businesses that generate at least 70 percent of sales from tobacco and tobacco-related products. Another amendment, initiated by Councilman Nicholas Ibarra and approved by six council members, increased exemptions to private clubs run by fraternal or benevolent not-for-profit organizations such as veterans groups. The exceptions, advocacy group leaders said, watered down the reach of the ordinance.
“If you’re going to make the same mistakes we made in 2003 and exempt any organization that wants to play bingo in the back of their bar, then you’ve made a terrible mistake,” said Josh Garrett, field government relations director for American Cancer Society, who withdrew ACS support from the ordinance.
After One Air co-chair Carrie Reynolds also withdrew that group’s endorsement, O’Neal spoke for the bill’s sponsors, saying they decided to withdraw the proposal in hopes that One Air would pursue an initiative petition to bring the issue to voters.
“We’ll let the city vote on it,” he said. “We’ve all agreed to withdraw this ordinance. It’s dead.”
Read more about City Council's June 28 meeting in SBJ's July 5 issue.[[In-content Ad]]
Moseley’s Discount Office Products was purchased; Side Chick opened in Branson; and the Springfield franchise store of NoBaked Cookie Dough changed ownership.
