A proposed statewide smoking ban for Indiana has been voted down by a state Senate committee.The House-approved measure would have exempted casinos, bars, clubs and nursing homes. Some of those who voted ‘no’ said they opposed some or all of the exemptions. Anti-smoking groups also pushed to have the bill defeated, saying it failed to protect thousands of workers from second-hand smoke. Senate Public Policy Committee Chairman Ron Alting contended the exemptions were needed for the bill to win full passage. "Any step that we can make to help non-smoking, or a smoke free environment to help the health of hoosiers is a positive one. But having said that, I’m going to lose this battle," he said. The Republican-led committee defeated the measure by a vote of 8-1.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
