After debating the bill last Thursday without voting on it, the House Health Committee is set to begin round 2 of debate on the statewide smoking ban (HB 2) today at noon.
Prior to the committee meeting, bill sponsor Rep. Hugh Holliman is going to be presented with over 2,000 symbolic hearts collected from people who want businesses to go smoke free.
It's bothersome that instead of trying to solve this apparent problem in the private sector through civil action (petitions to businesses, organizing dining clubs that only go to smoke-free facilities to show the economic impact), this organization looks to government to do its bidding. Government should be the last resort, not the first.
So to that group, take those hearts and present them to smoking-allowed establishment and try to make a social change through the pressure of the pocketbook. Tell those business owners that those hearts represent customers who are dining at someone else's restaurant. In this economic climate, don't you think most business owners would be responsive to the threat of losing a significant portion of their business?
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