R.I. bill to ban smoking in casinos faces uncertain odds on final day of legislative session
Former Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, a North Providence Democrat, had long
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Senator V. Susan Sosnowski, a South Kingstown Democrat, said she has been trying to end smoking in casinos since the Public Health and Workplace Safety Act passed 20 years ago.
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'So this is a big day for Rhode Island and especially for the workers,' Sosnowski said Wednesday. 'I think the casino is going to end up making even more money in the long run, with a decent atmosphere for people to go in and do gaming.'
But new Senate Majority Leader Frank A. Ciccone III, a Providence Democrat, introduced a floor amendment that he said would correct an 'error' by removing the name of a specific smoking bar — the
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Senator Samuel W. Bell, a Providence Democrat, questioned the amendment, saying, 'What's to stop this from just creating a large smoking floor — just enclosing it off and just creating a smoking floor that covers a lot of the facility?
'And on Thursday, Representative Teresa A. Tanzi, the Narragansett Democrat who has championed
'We are going to work with labor and the workers to try to understand what this all means,' Tanzi said. 'But my reading is it trades one exemption for a much bigger exemption. I'm really disappointed.'
The House had been poised to pass the bill on Friday, but now it's unclear what will happen, she said.
'Nobody wants to walk away from this session without making progress,' Tanzi said. 'But if it's not going to provide protections, then what is it worth?'
Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights issued a statement, noting the amendment would allow smoking in an enclosed area 'including, but not limited to, a cigar bar.' The group said, 'This vague language would open the door for casinos to continue forcing employees to work in smoke-filled spaces.'
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Cynthia Hallett, the group's president and CEO, said, 'Time and again, the casino industry and big tobacco have worked to undermine and weaken the rules that protect people from the deadly impact of secondhand smoke. Smoking lounges and cigar bars are smoking sections by another name.'
Vanessa Baker, a Lincoln casino worker who is founder and leader of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) Rhode Island, said she was 'surprised and very, very disappointed' by the floor amendment. She said negotiations had already resulted in postponing the law's implementation for 18 months, and the amendment 'leaves a lot of uncertainty about the protection of the employees.'
'I had more faith in our Rhode Island legislators,' Baker said. 'This is real people's lives on the line. We are in a building with carcinogens. I really thought we had it this year.'A Bally's spokesperson declined to comment Thursday.
This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you'd like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday,
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