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Public urges council to keep smoke‑free ordinance as repeal is put on the agenda
Summary
Public commenters at the April 14 Lef Parish Council meeting urged the council to retain the parish smoke‑free ordinance ahead of a proposed repeal; the council flagged the repeal for a future meeting and invited residents to return to speak further.
Residents and business representatives urged the Lef Parish Council to address the future of the parish smoke‑free ordinance at upcoming meetings.
Donovan Freeman, a representative of local bars and casinos, thanked the council for reopening the ordinance discussion and said the affected businesses appreciate the opportunity to speak before any final action. Emily Crup, a resident of District 2, urged the council not to repeal the parish smoke‑free law, saying the protections are necessary to shield workers and patrons from secondhand smoke and that smoke‑free laws have not harmed businesses in other jurisdictions.
Crup told the council she has severe asthma and said allowing indoor smoking would prevent her and others with respiratory conditions from safely patronizing local businesses. "Keeping this ordinance in place isn't about telling grown adults what personal choices they can make. It's about how we treat one another in shared indoor spaces," she said.
Council response and next steps: the president and council members noted a formal proposed ordinance to rescind the smoking/vaping restrictions has been filed by Councilman Lraine and will be on a future meeting agenda. The president encouraged supporters to attend the next meeting and said there will be three opportunities for public input during the ordinance process (public input prior to deliberation and votes). No vote on repeal occurred April 14.
