By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-838655.mp3
Dallas, TX – A "statewide" smoking ban in most public places will NOT happen this legislative session. KERA's BJ Austin says one Dallas smoke-free advocate is heartbroken, but promises that smoking ban supporters will be back "next time."
State Senator Rodney Ellis of Houston say the votes are not there, and time has run out. Lawmakers adjourn June first. Karen Potasznik, of Smoke Free Dallas, says they were confident they had the votes early on. But she says the argument that a ban would infringe on property and business owners' rights eroded support.
Potasznik: The public health risk is too high to shout out property rights whenever it involves the public health. Second hand smoke kills, and we do feel like that message will triumph eventually. We're brokenhearted that it did not work this time.
State Senator Bob Deuell, a doctor from Greenville, says he hates cigarettes, but cannot support a statewide smoking ban because of the property rights issue. Civil libertarians also opposed the ban.