Gov. Jim Doyle has taken a firm stance on a statewide smoking ban: Smoking must be prohibited in all workplaces—including taverns—Doyle said at the 2007 Tobacco Control and Prevention Conference.
Any other way ""wouldn't make sense,"" according to Doyle.
""The threat to the health of Wisconsin citizens is too significant for us to continue putting off action on this issue,"" he said in a statement.
Only months ago, state Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, worked to introduce a bill that would meet the needs of varying groups, according to Fitzgerald spokesman Mike Prentiss.
The governor was ""very interested in trying to find a middle ground,"" Prentiss said.
But Prentiss said with Doyle's new firm stance on a ban that would include taverns, the chances of a statewide ban passing this session is highly unlikely.
""If the governor's goal is to take an option off the table, he's certainly accomplished that,"" Prentiss said. ""If his goal is to get a reasonable, compromised piece of legislation on his desk that he can sign, I don't think that's going to happen if he's unwilling to meet people halfway.""
Doyle has said that though he will not support a bill exempting taverns from a statewide smoking ban, he would be willing to allow taverns a ""phase-in"" period of up to several years.
The Tavern League of Wisconsin, a group in opposition to Doyle's full-ban plans, said they would ""consider"" accepting a phase-in clause, according to the Associated Press.
According to polls conducted in February, a strong majority of people living in Wisconsin support a statewide smoking ban. In fact, the poll, developed by groups who back a statewide ban, said almost two-thirds of people in the state would support a ban.
Now, state lawmakers must hash out the logistics of a ban and decide whether the question concerning smoking in taverns merits a stalling of the bipartisan initiative.
Although state Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, has not taken a stance on whether or not he supports the governor's anti-smoking initiatives, he said because of local ordinances, the only way to carry out Doyle's plan for banning smoking would be to ""have a unified role throughout Wisconsin,"" according to Huebsch spokesperson Bob Delaporte.
Statewide smoking ban legislation must pass through the Republican-controlled Assembly and Democratic-controlled Senate to make it to Doyle's desk for approval.
If a statewide ban on smoking does pass both legislative branches, Wisconsin would join Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington in banning smoking in all workplaces, including bars and restaurants.
Doyle also stands his ground on his proposal of a $1.25 cigarette tax. The governor's office claims—citing a study from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids—that the rise in the price of cigarettes could force 42,000 adults to quit and discourage 84,000 youth to start smoking.
