A few weeks ago we reported that Beer Gardens had escaped a smoking ban in the state of Illinois. However, a group of lawmakers have tweaked a definition in the Smoke-Free Illinois Act.
The Peoria Journal star reports that a committee tweaked the definition to ban smoking in any public place with a floor or ceiling whether or not the walls are retractable or permeable.
The measure came after the Health department said the existing definition made it difficult to enforce and were looking for an easier way out. Despite the new definition things are still not so clearcut. The spokesperson would not comment if beer gardens were to be exempt after they built special areas to keep smokers happy.
The definition was allegedly change without a public commenting period and bar owners in Peoria aren’t sure how to react since they were not aware of the new definition until a report surfaced in a local newspaper.
