News-Record.com

The Workplace Smoking Ban, aka H2, was due to be heard in the Senate Health Committee today but was pulled from the calendar.

According to Committee Chairman William Purcell, the film industry had a concern that needed to be addressed.

"The concern came up about film makers in Wilmington not being able to smoke on sets," Purcell said. Apparently, they wanted to ensure that there wouldn't be any fines handed out for actors doing a scene that involved smoking.

Purcell said that was the only issue of substance that would keep the bill from moving forward.

Purcell said the PCS - legislative talk for "proposed committee substitute," which is essentially a rewrite of a bill - took out the "Cole Amendment." That amendment allowed any business that didn't serve or employee people under 18 to post a sign and allow smoking. Essentially, the Senate is looking at running a bill that regulates smoking more tightly than the House version.

The Cole amendment had raised the ire of the restaurant industry, which thought it gave bars an unfair advantage over restaurants.

Purcell said the Senate PCS would also tighten the definition of "private clubs" where smoking would be allowed. That definition, Purcell said, would carve out VFW or other fraternal groups, but not exempt private clubs that exist pretty much as stand-alone bars.

Purcell said the bill would come back next Wednesday.