Despite Threats, Casino Smoking Ban Advances

[Earth Bound Misfit]

Greetings from N.J.--Thought you guys might be interested:

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-casino-smoking-ban-0421.artapr21,0,3418444.story

By CHRISTOPHER KEATING | The Hartford Courant
April 21, 2009

Despite threats of legal action and a potential battle over nearly $400 million a year in slot-machine revenue currently added to state coffers, a key legislative committee voted Monday to ban smoking at the state's two Indian casinos.

The Democratic members on the legislature's government administration and elections committee said they have the right to ban smoking to protect the health of casino workers — including those who have complained about the health effects of second-hand smoke.

But Republican lawmakers said the bill is clearly unconstitutional and would violate the compacts between the state and the Indian tribes that operate the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos. They said the bill specifically targets casinos while allowing private clubs to continue permitting smoking.

"This, indeed, does buy us a substantial fight in the courts," said Rep. John W. Hetherington, a New Canaan Republican who serves as the ranking House Republican on the committee. "This is going to be a very long and costly fight for Connecticut."

The two casinos have said they prefer to reach a resolution directly with the governor's office, rather than being forced to ban smoking by the legislature.

In strongly worded letters to Gov. M. Jodi Rell and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, tribal officials said last month that the pending bill would violate the compact that allows the state to collect hundreds of millions of dollars each year from the casinos.

"I must inform you that if this legislation is approved, that action will force us to vigorously defend our federally recognized right to govern our lands," Mohegan Tribal Chairman Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum wrote in a one-page letter to Rell. "I will be compelled to initiate legal action on behalf of the Mohegan Tribe to stop this assault on our rights."

More at link.

[NewJeffCT]

1. The legislation ended up dying in committee

not even getting to a vote.