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Heated hearing over bill to allow narrow cigar bar endorsements under Montana’s Clean Indoor Air Act
Summary
Senate Bill 150 would add a narrow cigar-bar endorsement for licensed all-beverage establishments meeting ventilation, humidor and other conditions; public-health groups and medical organizations opposed the change, saying it would undermine the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act and endanger workers.
Senator Wiley Galt presented Senate Bill 150 to create a narrowly tailored endorsement that would allow "premium" hand-rolled cigar smoking inside certain freestanding all-beverage licensed establishments if they meet humidor, ventilation and other requirements.
Galt said the bill is intended to be narrow and noted other states allow cigar bars. He and supporters emphasized a package of conditions: a $200 endorsement fee, a required humidor, freestanding (not shared) building requirements and substantial dedicated ventilation or air handling systems. The sponsor and proponent witnesses described industry-standard air systems with large outside-air intake, multiple air exchanges per hour and additional…
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