Illinois Senate snuffs out smoking in casinos

Publication Date: 2007-06-01

• Author:Kevin McDermott
• Publication:St. Louis Post-Dispatch, MO

The Illinois Senate early Friday voted down a measure that would have allowed casino patrons to continue lighting up next year even as smokers in all other public places in the state are forced to snuff out their cigarettes.

However, proponents of the idea could try again today.

The Legislature has previously approved a statewide public smoking ban which Gov. Rod Blagojevich has said he will sign into law, making it effective Jan. 1.

As it stands, the state’s nine riverboat casinos would be included in that ban. But the Senate legislation would retroactively remove the casinos from the ban.