TOPEKA, Kansas – The state’s new smoking ban will go into effect July 1st. Many business owners across Kansas are upset and are asking for changes. And some in Topeka are listening.
The Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association, among others, has complained about the new ban and a House panel is also considering changes to the law – even though it doesn’t go into effect until this summer.
The bill would change the effective date to January 1st and would reduce the outside smoking distance from doorways from 10 feet to three feet.
Some say smoking should be allowed in certain clubs, like the Players Bar and Grill in Wichita, which built a special smoking room to comply with the local ordinance. That smoking room would be illegal in July.
'”There need to be some kind of regulation on smoking,” said Dave Chaffin, owner of Players Sports Bar. “I'm not saying just because I built a smoking room I should be forever exempt or anybody else, but enough for else to recoup our losses is a smart way to do it.”
As expected, those who pushed for the statewide smoking ban see things differently.
“The new state law is a uniform law,” said Diane Tinker with the American Lung Association. “It's gonna give a level playing field to everybody across the state of Kansas. One business or one bar isn't going to have a perceived benefit or positive thing that another bar or restaurant doesn't have.”
It’s not clear that the bill with the proposed changes will even make it out of committee. The committee chairman did not say if a committee vote would even be taken.
