State Senator Mary Ann Handley
May 2, 2008
Handley Wins Senate Approval For Bill to Advance Casino Smoking Limits
State Senator Mary Ann Handley (D-Manchester), the Senate Chair of the legislature's Public Health Committee, today steered through the Senate her bill to formalize negotiations between the state and the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes on the topic of smoking restrictions at the tribes' casinos, the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, respectively.
The bill, which was approved by the Senate 24 to 11, creates a task force comprised of state and tribe officials and requires that task force to report on its progress to the General Assembly by February first. One three-month extension may be granted at that point if it's deemed significant progress toward smoking restrictions has been made.
"To safeguard the public health of Connecticut residents this legislature enacted a smoking ban a few years ago for bars, restaurants, and other places of public accommodation to protect both workers and patrons from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke," Senator Handley said. "The negotiations envisioned as a result of this bill would work toward a mutually agreeable extension of that smoking ban to protect the respiratory health of an estimated 22,000 casino workers and countless patrons alike."
Senator Handley and the Public Health Committee received assurances from the state Attorney General and other legal experts about the state's jurisdiction on tribal land in matters regarding public health--the state also regulates the liquor licenses held by the two tribes, Senator Handley said.
"We are extremely hopeful that talks among state and tribal leaders will be productive in the time frame allowed by this legislation, should it become law," Senator Handley said. "We think everyone involved has the same goal in mind in terms of limiting non-smokers' exposure to the unwanted poisons and carcinogens in tobacco smoke--in fact the Mohegans in particular have gone out of their way to improve the ventilation system at Mohegan Sun to that end--so we're optimistic this matter can be satisfactorily resolved by early next year at the latest."
"I'm pleased with the support this measure received among my Senate colleagues tonight and I now call upon our counterparts in the House to act favorably on the bill," Senator Handley added.
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