Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, named Rep. Ralph DLG Torres as chairman of the conference committee on House Bill 16-47 or the Smoke Free Air Act of 2008, which was amended twice in the House and once in the Senate.
Reps. Joseph C. Reyes, R-Saipan, and Justo S. Quitugua, D-Saipan, who sponsored the bill, were appointed members of the committee.
Palacios urged Senate President Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, to appoint senators to the committee so that the two houses can work on a bill acceptable to both.
The bill seeks to prohibit smoking in restaurants and attached bars or the bar area, and has been pending in the Legislature since its introduction on Feb. 29, 2008.
The Senate acted favorably on the bill in March but a coalition of community groups didn’t like certain provisions that were inserted by senators.
These include allowing smoking within 15 feet of a business establishment if there is ventilation as well as exemption from the smoking ban if the business entity will pay an annual exemption fee of $10,000.
An amendment was also made to exempt casino establishments from the smoking ban.
Some senators said the local tourism industry might further suffer if a smoking ban is imposed on all restaurants and bars.
But the Commonwealth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and Diabetes Prevention Coalition argued that other states with smoke-free laws like Hawaii continue to see their tourism industry flourish.
