The New Hampshire state Senate defeated a bill banning smoking in restaurants and bars by one vote yesterday. The house passed the bill on March 21st by a 33 vote margin, with 189 voting for and 156 voting against the proposal.
All four of Hanover's House representatives, Bernie Benn, Lydia Sokol, Sharon Nordgren and Ruth Bleyer and Hanover's Senate representative, Peter Burling, voted in favor of the bill. All five representatives are Democrats.
A poll commissioned by a smoking ban supporter showed 79 percent of New Hampshire residents supported the bill.
Burling expressed his displeasure with the outcome of the initiative, which he said was a key Democratic agenda item.
"My first reaction is a real sense of shock and disappointment. I thought in my heart of hearts that one of the people in the no column would have a conscience or a brain and change his vote," he said. "This doesn't end the issue. I'm sure it will carry right into the summer Senate campaign."
The senator explained the Republicans' opposition as a misguided interpretation of the state's "Live Free or Die" motto.
"Live free or die doesn't mean do whatever the hell I want. Government acts right when it protects people from carcinogens in the air," Burling said.
The Republicans in the state legislature remained divided over the issue. Senator Bob Odell (R-Lempster), the bill's co-sponsor, spoke out in favor of the bill, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.
"Cancer is caused by second-hand smoke and people smoking. That's fundamental," he said. "Today is a simple step in the march of history and this body will eventually do the right thing."
Odell was among three of 16 Republican senators that broke from the party to support the bill. Senators Thomas Eaton (R-Keene) and Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) also supported the measure.
Other Republicans denounced the bill.
"It is not the role of government to try and control competition between businesses," Republican Sen. Chuck Morse of Salem said.
Burling mentioned that the fight over smoking is nothing new, and promised the battle would continue.
"[The controversy over smoking has] been going on since we began in the early 1990s trying to separate smokers in public places. When a bill like this gets through either house, that's the tipping point. Now it will not be long until either house goes along," he said. "I'm sure that some senators that voted against this ban will regret the day."
Another bill passed unanimously yesterday morning to allow severely ill college students to keep their health insurance coverage if they have to take medical leave from school. The bill passed as a result of Plymouth State University student Michelle Morse, who had to continue attending classes while undergoing chemotherapy to retain her health insurance coverage. The state Senate made some minor changes to the bill, which will now return the house for a final vote.
Senator David Gottesman (D-Nashua) expressed his endorsement of the bill.
"This law will ensure that no other college student must choose to either compromise their care, or lose health insurance," he told the Union Leader.
