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Iowa considers smoking ban

Posted at 2:54 PM on March 12, 2008 by Bob Collins

The Iowa House of Representatives today narrowly approved a smoking ban which exempts bars and restaurants. The bill now needs to be resolved with a tougher Senate bill that didn't even exempt casinos. Most workplaces already ban smoking in Iowa.

Rep. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, said the vote reflects intense lobbying by the restaurants and bar owners who said it will hurt business. Presumably they didn't argue Iowans would go over the border to Minnesota to smoke, however.