With the new statewide smoking ban taking effect July 1, many people are confused about what the law covers and where smoking is prohibited or allowed. To alleviate this confusion, a countywide town hall meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, June 21 at 6 p.m. at the Bass Lake Community Center.
The meeting will provide important information concerning the new law and how it affects businesses and organizations, as well as information on what the law covers, who to contact with questions and complaints, and who enforces the law.
One of the most frequently asked questions is where smoking is prohibited under the new law. According to a release from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, smoking is prohibited in and within eight feet of most public places and places of employment. Smoking is also prohibited in state-owned vehicles and school buses under certain circumstances.
However, smoking is permitted in the following establishments: a horse-racing facility, a riverboat, a facility with a gambling game license, a satellite-gaming facility, cigar bars, hookah bars, certain fraternal clubs, a retail-tobacco store, a bar or tavern meeting certain requirements, a cigar-manufacturing facility, a cigar-specialty store, or most businesses in private residences.
For more general information about the law, click here to download frequently asked questions and answers pertaining to the law, click here for information on how the law affects businesses, or click here for information on how the law affects private or fraternal clubs. You can also download a copy of Enrolled Act, House Bill 1149 here.
