<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Since the local INDOOR smoking ban, is a shoe string off of the Idaho INDOOR Clean Air Act, isn't making OUTDOOR smoking a bit of a legal stretch? I'm not sure that the LOCAL GOVERNMENT even has the authority under the </div><div>Idaho INDOOR Clean Air Act to legislate OUTDOOR smoking outside of the parameters set by the state legislation. Looks like the gang of 7 has done a bit of overreaching . Looks like this one will cost us money when it is brought to the courts. Specifically:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "> "The twenty-foot “halo” around public entrances only applies to indoor shopping malls, airport terminals, indoor sports arenas, hospitals, libraries, concert halls, and schools. <font class="Apple-style-span" color="#FF0000">Hotels, restaurants and other retail establishments</font> are not subject to the smoking prohibition within twenty feet. " The STATE legislature it appears, has the last say on this one and has already spoken!</span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; "><p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="+2">Idaho Clean Indoor Air Act</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><font size="+1">Questions & Answers</font><br><font size="+1">Senator Brent Hill</font></font></p><p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Idaho’s Clean Indoor Air Act that prohibits smoking in public places goes into effect on July 1. Since its passage by the 2004 Legislature, I have received dozens of calls asking how the law will apply to specific situations. The Department of Health and Welfare is in the process of promulgating rules, but that process will not be complete until well after businesses must comply with the law on July 1.</font></p><p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">As author of the Clean Indoor Air Act, I can at least explain the legislative intent of the new law. While the final rules may further clarify the law, here are my opinions regarding the most commonly asked questions:</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: What is a “public place?”</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: Any enclosed indoor place of business, whether publicly or privately owned, to which persons other than employees have general and regular access or which the public uses. Examples include: Office buildings, all retail stores, restaurants, hospitals, schools, concert halls, indoor sports arenas.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: So are “designated smoking areas” still permitted in public places?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Are there exceptions to the smoke-free rules?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: Yes. The most notable exceptions are bars and bowling centers.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Does that mean bars and bowling centers must allow smoking?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No. Any proprietor can prohibit smoking within a business establishment.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Must outdoor (i.e. patio) seating at restaurants also be smoke free?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No. The law only covers indoor facilities.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: If there is a bar within a restaurant, can smoking be allowed in the bar if it is enclosed with walls or glass partitions?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No. The law specifically prohibits smoking in bars within restaurants, even if they are separately enclosed.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Can a bar that serves food ever allow smoking?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: Yes, but only if it restricts admittance to adults over age 21 and clearly posts at the entrances that smoking is permitted.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: What if a “general store” has sections for groceries, dry goods, snack bar, fishing gear, etc., and a small area where beer is served? Can smoking be allowed in the “bar area?”</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No. A bar must be a separate facility with a separate outside entrance.</font></p><p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><font color="#ff0000">Q: What about professional (i.e. legal, accounting, real estate) offices?</font><br>A: Smoking is not permitted even when clients/customers are not present.</font></p><p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><font color="#ff0000">Q: What about manufacturing plants?</font><br>A: The law does not prohibit smoking in manufacturing and other facilities unless “persons other than employees have general and regular access” to the facilities.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: I hear smoking will not be allowed within twenty feet of public places. Is that true?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: The twenty-foot “halo” around public entrances only applies to indoor shopping malls, airport terminals, indoor sports arenas, hospitals, libraries, concert halls, and schools. Hotels, restaurants and other retail establishments are not subject to the smoking prohibition within twenty feet.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Can airport terminals provide designated smoking rooms?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Can hotels still provide “smoking rooms?”</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: Yes, but all common areas must be smoke-free.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: What about a small business within my private home?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: An office or small business, other than a child care facility, occupying less than 50% of a private residence, is not required to be smoke-free.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Can a business have smoking break rooms for its employees?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No. Only very small businesses with five or fewer employees are permitted to maintain smoking break rooms, and even they are subject to restrictions.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Can a business build a shelter outside its facility where employees can smoke?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: Yes, but it must not share the same ventilation system with the public facility.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: What do I do if someone is smoking in a public place?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: No-smoking laws are pretty much self-enforcing. If someone is violating the law, they probably just need to be reminded. However, you may report the violation to an owner or employee of the business.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: What is the business owner’s responsibility?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: To ask the smoker to either extinguish the smoking material or leave the premises. If the smoker refuses, the business may contact law enforcement.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: Can a city council pass ordinances to prohibit smoking in bowling centers and/or bars?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: Yes. The law specifically permits local municipalities to pass laws more restrictive than the state law.</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Q: How can a business be sure it is in compliance with the new law?</font><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br>A: If in doubt, I would suggest you consult an attorney. But be very cautious not to stretch the intent of Idaho’s Clean Indoor Air Act. You or your attorney can access the legislation at <a href="http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/S1283.html">www3.state.id.us/oasis/S1283.html</a>.<br></font></p><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div></span></div></body></html>