Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee advances bill to allow narrowly defined cigar bars, sparking public-health opposition
Summary
House Bill 211 would carve out a narrow exemption to Kentucky smoke-free laws for "cigar bars" meeting specific requirements; the committee advanced the bill after testimony from the sponsor and extensive opposition from public-health witnesses who warned the change would undermine local smoke-free ordinances and worker protections.
The Senate State and Local Government Committee on Monday advanced House Bill 211, a bill that would create a narrow statewide exemption allowing indoor cigar smoking at businesses defined as "cigar bars" if they meet specific revenue and access requirements.
Representative Chris Lewis, the sponsor, described the exemption as limited: a cigar bar must derive at least 15% of gross annual revenue from sale of cigars, pipe tobacco, related accessories or humidor rentals; it must generally maintain an on-premise retail drink license unless a local government permits operation without alcohol; and no…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
