A bill for an act relating to the elimination of the exemption of gaming floors from the prohibitions of the smokefree air Act.(See HF 781.)
Summary
HSB148 would amend Iowa’s smokefree air law to remove the current exemption that allows smoking on gaming floors. Under existing law, certain licensed gambling facilities — including gambling structures, excursion gambling boats, and racetracks — may permit smoking on designated gaming floors. This bill strikes that exemption, meaning the smokefree air Act would apply to those areas as well.
As a result, the bill would extend smoking prohibitions to the entire premises of facilities licensed under chapter 99F, rather than allowing a carveout for gaming floors. The practical effect would be to require casinos, riverboats, and racetracks to comply fully with Iowa’s indoor smoking restrictions, affecting patrons, employees, and operators of those venues.
Impact
The bill amends section 142D.4 of the Iowa Code by deleting subsection 10, which currently exempts gaming floors from the smokefree air Act. If enacted, it would expand the reach of chapter 142D to cover gaming floors in chapter 99F licensed facilities, eliminating a long-standing exception for smoking in those areas. This would likely require affected gambling venues to change indoor smoking policies, signage, enforcement practices, and workplace compliance procedures.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill had meaningful support in committee, passing the House Committee on Commerce report by a 19-3 vote. That margin indicates broad approval among committee members, though not unanimity. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the vote suggests the bill was generally viewed favorably by most members.
Contention
The main point of contention is the removal of the smoking exemption for gaming floors, which would directly affect casino and racetrack operators that currently allow smoking in those areas. Supporters likely view the bill as a public health and workplace safety measure that makes the smokefree air Act more consistent, while opponents may be concerned about impacts on gaming revenue, customer preferences, and operational flexibility. The split committee vote indicates some disagreement, but the specific arguments are not documented in the available materials.
Replaced by
A bill for an act relating to the elimination of the exemption of gaming floors from the prohibitions of the smokefree air Act.(Formerly HSB 148.)
A bill for an act relating to cigar bars by modifying the smokefree air Act and allowing for certain delivery sales, providing for a fee, and including effective date provisions.(See SF 2444.)