Smoking ban bill appears dead in Senate
Posted: 12.19.2008 at 6:30 AM
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LANSING, MI (AP) -- It appears efforts to ban smoking in Michigan restaurants and bars have fizzled out for this year. Democratic Rep. Andy Meisner of Ferndale said early Friday a good opportunity to pass a ban was wasted. But efforts to pass a workplace smoking ban likely will continue next year.

The Republican-led Senate has passed a bill that calls for a complete smoking ban with no exemptions. The Democrat-led House has passed a ban that includes exemptions for Detroit casinos and a few other businesses.

Failure to compromise means neither version becomes law.

(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)