"Georgia Smokefree Air Act of 2005"
Georgia House of Representatives
Name Dis E-mail
Neal 01 jay.neal@house.ga.gov
Scott 02 martin.scott@house.ga.gov
Forster 03 ron.forster@house.ga.gov
Williams 04 wroger@alltel.net
Meadows 05 john.meadows@house.ga.gov
Dickson 06 tom.dickson@house.ga.gov
Ralston 07 dralston1@etcmail.com
Jenkins 08 charles.jenkins@house.ga.gov
Amerson 09 hamerson@alltel.net
Bridges 10 ben.bridges@house.ga.gov
Reece 11 barbara.reece@house.ga.gov
Graves 12 tom.graves@house.ga.gov
Smith 13 paul.smith@house.ga.gov
Loudermilk 14 barry@barryloudermilk.com
Lewis 15 jeff.lewis@house.ga.gov
Cummings 16 bill.cummings@house.ga.gov
Maxwell 17 howard.maxwell@house.ga.gov
Butler 18 mark.butler@house.ga.gov
Richardson 19 glenn.richardson@house.ga.gov
Byrd 20 charlice.byrd@house.ga.gov
Hill 21 calvin.hill@house.ga.gov
Scheid 22 chuckscheid@msn.com
Murphy 23 jack.murphy@house.ga.gov
Knox 24 tom.knox@house.ga.gov
Mills 25 james.mills@house.ga.gov
Rogers 26 carl.rogers@house.ga.gov
Reece 27 stacey.reece@house.ga.gov
Jamieson 28 jeanette.jamieson@house.ga.gov
Powell 29 alanpowell23@hotmail.com
McCall 30 tom.mccall@house.ga.gov
Benton 31 tommy.benton@house.ga.gov
Manning 32 judy.manning@house.ga.gov
Wix 33 dwix@mindspring.com
Golick 34 rich.golich@house.ga.gov
Setzler 35 lesetzler@mactec.com
Ehrhart 36 eaeh@facilitygroup.com
Jonson 37 terryjonson@cobb.net
Tumlin 38 stevetumlin@bellsouth.net
Morgan 39 alisha@alishamorgan.com
Teilhet 40 rteilhet@yahoo.com
Cooper 41 sharon.cooper@house.ga.gov
Parsons 42 repdon@gmail.com
Franklin 43 bobby.franklin@house.ga.gov
Jones 44 info@sheilajones.org
Dollar 45 matt.dollar@house.ga.gov
Jones 46 janjones38@bellsouth.net
Martin 47 chuck@martinforgeorgia.com
Geisinger 48 harry.geisinger@house.ga.gov
Willard 49 wkwillard@hotmail.com
Burkhalter 50 mark.burkhalter@house.ga.gov
Rice 51 tom.rice@house.ga.gov
Wilkinson 52 joe.wilkinson@house.ga.gov
Stanley-Turner 53 N/A
Lindsey 54 edward.lindsey@house.ga.gov
Thomas 55 N/A
Ashe 56 kathyashe56@mindspring.com
Gardner 57 pat@patgardner.com
Orrock 58 nan.orrock@house.ga.gov
Dean 59 douglas.dean@house.ga.gov
Sinkfield 60 georganna.sinkfield@house.ga.gov
Holmes 61 carglor9@cs.com
Heckstall 62 joe.heckstall@house.ga.gov
Brooks 63 tyrone.brooks@house.ga.gov
Bruce 64 rbruce5347@aol.com
Beasley-Teague 65 N/A
Fludd 66 virgil.fludd@house.ga.gov
Hembree 67 bill.hembree@house.ga.gov
Bearden 68 tim.bearden@house.ga.gov
Brown 69 jeff.brown@house.ga.gov
Smith 70 lynn.smith@house.ga.gov
Horne 71 gahouse71@yahoo.com
Lakly 72 dlakly@mindspring.com
Yates 73 john.yates@house.ga.gov
Abdul-Salaam 74 N/A
Dodson 75 dodson.ron@worldnet.att.net
Buckner 76 gail.buckner@house.ga.gov
Jordan 77 darryl.jordan@house.ga.gov
Barnes 78 repmikebarnes@aol.com
Millar 79 fran_millar@palmercay.com
Jacobs 80 mike@meetmikejacobs.com
Chambers 81 jill.chambers@house.ga.gov
Jennings 82 paul.jennings@house.ga.gov
Oliver 83 N/A
McClinton 84 joann.mcclinton@house.ga.gov
Benfield 85 stuckey@mindspring.com
Drenner 86 dren16999@mindspring.com
Henson 87 michele.henson@house.ga.gov
Mitchell 88 billy.mitchell@house.ga.gov
Williams 89 earnest.williams@house.ga.gov
Mosby 90 mosb7101@hotmail.com
Watson 91 staxx@bellsouth.net
Stephenson 92 pam.stephenson@house.ga.gov
Sailor 93 ron.sailor@house.ga.gov
Mangham 94 randal.mangham@house.ga.gov
Mumford 95 robert.mumford@house.ga.gov
Marin 96 marinstatehouse@aol.com
Coleman 97 brooks.coleman@house.ga.gov
Reese 98 bobby-reese@bellsouth.net
Floyd 99 hugh.floyd@house.ga.gov
Thomas 100 brian.thomas@house.ga.gov
Coan 101 repcoan@charter.net
Cox 102 clay.cox@house.ga.gov
Casas 103 david.casas@house.ga.gov
Heard 104 john.heard@house.ga.gov
Sheldon 105 donna.sheldon@house.ga.gov
Everson 106 melvin.everson@house.ga.gov
Walker 107 lwalker@nfumc.org
England 108 englandhomeport2@alltel.net
Davis 109 steve.davis@house.ga.gov
Lunsford 110 john.lunsford@house.ga.gov
May 111 jeff.may@house.ga.gov
Holt 112 doug@dougholt.org
Smith 113 smith98@bellsouth.net
Heard 114 keith.heard@house.ga.gov
Kidd 115 jbvkidd@aol.com
Channell 116 mickey.channell@house.ga.gov
Fleming 117 barry.fleming@house.ga.gov
Harbin 118 ben.harbin@house.ga.gov
Burmeister 119 subrmyster@aol.com
Murphy 120 quincy.murphy@house.ga.gov
Howard 121 earnestine.howard@house.ga.gov
Warren 122 petewarren99@comcast.net
Anderson 123 alberta.anderson@house.ga.gov
Hudson 124 sistiehudson@aol.com
Cole 125 jim.cole@house.ga.gov
Knight 126 david.knight@house.ga.gov
Crawford 127 mack.crawford@house.ga.gov
Von Epps 128 carl.epps@house.ga.gov
Smith 129 vance.smith@house.ga.gov
Buckner 130 debbie.buckner@house.ga.gov
Smith 131 richard@smithforgeorgia.com
Smyre 132 calvinsmyre@synovus.com
Hugley 133 carolyn.hugley@house.ga.gov
Cheokas 134 mike.cheokas@house.ga.gov
James 135 lynmore.james@house.ga.gov
Ray 136 robert.ray@house.ga.gov
Graves 137 repdavidgraves@hotmail.com
Randall 138 nikki.randall@house.ga.gov
Lucas 139 david.lucas@house.ga.gov
Freeman 140 agfreeman@cox.net
Parham 141 bobby.parham@house.ga.gov
Lord 142 jimmy.lord@house.ga.gov
Porter 143 dubose.porter@house.ga.gov
Coleman 144 terry.coleman@house.ga.gov
Talton 145 willie.talton@house.ga.gov
O'Neal 146 larry.oneal@house.ga.gov
Floyd 147 johnny.floyd@house.ga.gov
Hanner 148 bob.hanner@house.ga.gov
Greene 149 gerald.greene@house.ga.gov
Dukes 150 winfred.dukes@house.ga.gov
Sims 151 N/A
Rynders 152 ed.rynders@house.ga.gov
Scott 153 austin.scott@house.ga.gov
Roberts 154 jayroberts@alltel.net
Morris 155 greg.morris@house.ga.gov
Parrish 156 larry.parrish@house.ga.gov
Burns 157 jon.burns@house.ga.gov
Lane 158 bob.lane@house.ga.gov
Carter 159 bcarter331@aol.com
Bryant 160 bob.bryant@house.ga.gov
Jackson 161 lester.jackson@house.ga.gov
Bordeaux 162 tom.bordeaux@house.ga.gov
Day 163 burke.day@house.ga.gov
Stephens 164 quickrxdrg@aol.com
Williams 165 caw@coastalnow.net
Barnard 166 terry.barnard@house.ga.gov
Lane 167 rogerlane167@hotmail.com
Smith 168 tommy.smith@house.ga.gov
Sims 169 chuck.sims@house.ga.gov
Houston 170 penny.houston@house.ga.gov
Royal 171 richard.royal@house.ga.gov
Maddox 172 topdrawer@mchsi.com
Keown 173 mkfnbc@rose.net
Black 174 ellblack@surfsouth.com
Borders 175 ron.borders@house.ga.gov
Shaw 176 jay.shaw@house.ga.gov
Hatfield 177 mark.hatfield@house.ga.gov
Mosley 178 hinson.mosley@house.ga.gov
Keen 179 jerry.keen@house.ga.gov
Hill 180 cecily.hill@house.ga.gov
Ga. Governor Signs Bill Banning Smoking
The Associated Press
May 9, 2005
ATLANTA -- Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a bill Monday to ban smoking in most public places in Georgia, ending a guessing game that had gone on for weeks.
The law will allow smokers to light up in only a few places, including bars and restaurants that do not admit people under 18; designated hotel and motel rooms; and workplace smoking areas that have an independent air handling system. Violators face fines of $100 to $500.
The Republican governor had said for weeks that he had misgivings about the bill, believing that government should not become "the end-all and be-all nanny for all people."
His decision came just one day short of the deadline for him to sign or veto bills passed during the most recent session of the Legislature.
Of 14 tobacco-growing states surveyed by the National Conference of State Legislatures, only Florida has as broad a ban as Georgia's.
http://www.washingtonpost.com
Smoking Ban Headed For Governor's Desk
April 1, 2005
ATLANTA -- A smoking ban in most public buildings got final approval in the Legislature late Thursday, but in a weaker form than it was originally proposed.
Senators voted 46-4 to give final approval to the ban, agreeing to a list of exemptions added by the House.
The original version would have banned tobacco smoking in virtually all public buildings. But House members added a list of exemptions -- including bars, restaurants that serve only adults and small businesses.
Smoking also would be allowed in lounges at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Despite the changes, backers who have pushed the bill for the past three years celebrated its passage. Sen. Don Thomas of Dalton, a doctor who sponsored the bill, said it will save thousands of lives.
Local governments that already have stricter smoking laws will be allowed to keep them under the bill, and may pass tougher ones in the future.
The plan must now be signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue to become law. The ban would go into effect on July 1.
http://www.news4jax.com/
Let him know that if he signs SB90, he can expect tourism to drop as
it has in other smoker hating states. Let him know that if he signs
it, your plans to spend your vacation or have your conference in GA
will change.
Here is contact info for the Governor:
Governor Sonny Perdue
Web Site: http://www.gov.state.ga.us/
E-mail: Contact Via 'Web Form.'
203 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: (404) 656-1776
Fax: (404) 656-5947
Ga. House Approves Smoking Ban
March 23, 2005
ATLANTA (AP) A statewide smoking ban was approved by the Georgia House Tuesday, but not before lawmakers from both parties loaded up the bill with plenty of exemptions.
The bill would ban smoking in most indoor buildings, but the House spent more than three hours adding exceptions for places like bars, private rooms in restaurants and business that employ fewer than 10 people.
The tweaks came amid complaints that a smoking ban earlier adopted by the Senate went too far in telling people where they couldn't smoke. One lawmaker, Republican Rep. Dan Lakly, even called it ``reminiscent of Nazi Germany.''
After the exceptions were added, the smoking ban was approved 118-52. It now must return to the Senate because of all the House's changes.
If the bill becomes law, Georgia would join 11 other states with some sort of statewide smoking bans. Four of those states, including Florida, still allow smoking in bars.
The smoking ban has proved one of the session's most divisive, and the question didn't fall along party lines. Republicans sponsored the bill, but some other Republicans denounced it as un-conservative and a gross infringement on personal rights.
``It is not the core function of government to control the lives of free people at dinner,'' said Rep. Charlice Byrd, R-Woodstock. ``We are invited to this Capitol as stewards, not as nannies.''
But most House members liked the smoking ban, once it was weakened to exempt some areas. To the argument that the bill would create more government intrusion, they countered that the government would spend less money if it didn't have to pay health care costs for smokers.
``I refuse to believe that the inconvenience of asking a smoker to step outside outweighs the cost, inconvenience and health risks of the nonsmoker,'' said Rep. Stacey Reece, R-Gainesville, who sponsored the bill.
The version ultimately approved would set up a patchwork of zones where smoking would be allowed. In bowling alleys, no. In military clubs, yes. In restaurants, no. Unless the restaurants only served adults, or set up private rooms with separate ventilation for smoking events.
It just gets more complicated from there.
``Let me get this straight. You will be able to smoke at the airport, but not at the Huddle House in Toccoa, Ga.?'' asked Democratic Rep. Jeanette Jamieson.
She was correct. Sort of. Smoking would be allowed at international airports, like the one in Atlanta, but not at other airports.
The bill would also let stand existing smoking bans in several Georgia cities and counties. Some of those have different rules than the one approved by lawmakers.
Lawmakers expect more negotiations before a final smoking ban is hammered out. If they can't agree by the end of next week, the question will die until next year.
``It's a political hot potato,'' said Rep. Ed Rynders, R-Albany.
http://wsbradio.com/news/032305smokingban3a.html
Legislature's proposed indoor smoking ban ignites debate
March 21, 2005
By Liz Fabian
Telegraph Staff Writer
Many bar and restaurant owners may be forced to choose between smokers and families with children under changes to the proposed statewide indoor smoking ban.
While the Georgia Senate passed a ban on smoking in most public buildings, a House committee voted last Tuesday to allow smoking in bars and restaurants if the minimum age for entry is 18 years old.
The full House must now debate the issue.
The exemption to the ban could create a dilemma for restaurants that include bars. In order to allow smoking, owners would have to turn away those under 18.
Restaurant owner Cesare Mammarella only allows smoking in the bar sections of the Tic-Toc Room and Luigi's Bistro on Cherry Street. Luigi's Bistro on Northside Drive is already a complete no-smoking restaurant, he said, but that doesn't mean he favors the ban.
"Cigarettes are legal," Mammarella said. "I know it's a whole health thing, but it's too much government in my business."
If the current smoking proposal is approved, he has a tough decision to make.
"If I had a choice, I'd probably do 18 and over (at Tic-Toc)," Mammarella said.
He would likely make Luigi's on Cherry Street another no-smoking restaurant rather than turn families away, he said.
Smoking is already banned in DeKalb County where Mammarella owns The Cabin Room restaurant. If someone is caught smoking there, the citation goes to the smoker, not the owner, he said.
"So who's going to enforce it?" Mammarella asked.
The owner of The Rookery, Jim Kee, also has enforcement questions.
"I want to have smoking available to my customers," Kee said. "But to have them make us be a watchdog making sure we don't have anyone under 18, that means I'm working for the government."
Kee said they don't have too many children coming into the restaurant, but he wouldn't want to turn any of them away.
The law would likely force Steve and Brian Kipper of Warner Robins to split their businesses between smoking and nonsmoking. The two own Beef O'Brady's, a sports bar franchise geared toward families, and their own restaurant/bar, Kipper's Sports Grill, which is geared toward adults.
Steve Kipper said his initial reaction to the legislation in the house is that it would likely mean Beef O'Brady's would go smokeless, even though it was designed to allow a smoking section away from the family-oriented dining area.
"So much of our business is based on the families, we would almost have to choose nonsmoking," Steve Kipper said.
Brian Kipper said that he was against the plan in the Senate that would ban smoking areas and would prefer a law that would only require restaurants to post signs stating the restaurant's smoking policy, leaving people a choice.
"We understand the health concerns associated with smoking, but we think that adults should be allowed to make their own decisions about using a legal product, just as they are allowed to with alcohol," Brian Kipper said.
The law that would give restaurants the choice to be a restaurant and cater to families, or be a bar and cater to adults would be his preference between the Senate and House versions of the bill, Brian Kipper said.
Buffalo's Southwest Cafe in Warner Robins would take a hit in the 18-and-over bill; general manager Tim Denton said that because the restaurant caters to families it would mean that smokers would have to be pushed outdoors.
"We'd probably have to have nonsmoking in the restaurant and build a bigger deck," Denton said.
At Ingleside Village Pizza, owner Tina Dickson restricted smoking to the counter when she remodeled the restaurant about five years ago, she said.
"I will never say kids 18 and under can't come in," Dickson said. "I'm a family restaurant. I love my families."
Part of the reason Dickson kept a small smoking section is to cater to smoking employees, she said.
The House committee changes would allow businesses to create indoor employee smoking lounges with a separate ventilation system, if nonsmokers did not have to enter them during the normal course of business.
At Jocks & Jills, smoking is currently restricted to the bar, said general manager Jon Paxton.
"We're hoping we'll be able to keep it the same because the bar and the bistro area is separate," Paxton said. "We have ceilings probably 15 to 20 feet tall so we hardly ever get complaints."
Paxton would prefer that legislatures not make any laws that infringe on people's rights, but is prepared to adjust to proposed changes.
If the law will not allow smoking in the bar, Paxton said he will convert the outside patio to a smoking section.
"You don't want to upset or lose any customers, so we'll try to do what we can," he said.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/11192452.htm
Top lawmakers: Smoking ban certain in some form
March 21, 2005
KRISTEN WYATT
Associated Press
ATLANTA - Georgia is certain to have a statewide smoking ban in some form, top lawmakers from both parties said as the House prepared for a Tuesday vote on the ban.
An indoor smoking ban has already passed the Senate, but its outcome was at first uncertain in the House. House Speaker Glenn Richardson called it "un-American" earlier in the session; other ruling Republicans cited personal freedom concerns.
But the tide has apparently turned.
On Monday, after a House committee scheduled the vote, top-ranking lawmakers from both parties said they believed a smoking ban was certain to pass in some form.
"We'll pass a fairly strong smoking ban," said Rep. Earl Ehrhart, R-Powder Springs, chairman of the committee that scheduled the vote. "Health is the first issue."
Even some of the smoking ban's strongest opponents now say they'll support it. Rep. Gene Maddox, a Cairo Republican who called the ban an infringement of freedom in a committee, said Monday he'd vote for the ban. "It's a health issue," he said.
It was unclear, though, what the smoking ban would look like. Already the House has significantly weakened the ban approved by the Senate. That bill would have made it illegal to light up even in bars. A House committee voted to exempt bars and restaurants where patrons have to be at least 18 years old.
House members also decided that smoking should still be allowed in lounges at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport because fliers may not be able to step outside on layovers.
More changes are possible. Several House members plan to suggest amendments during Tuesday's floor debate. Legislators said they expected a lively debate, but that some statewide smoking ban would ultimately be approved. Already eight counties have smoking bans.
"I'm expecting some version of it" to become law, said House Democratic Leader DuBose Porter.
Still, health activists weren't ready to stop lobbying for the smoking ban Monday, saying its passage wasn't certain.
"We have a chance, but we're going to have to work very hard," said June Deen of the American Lung Association.
ON THE NET
Read Senate Bill 40: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/politics/11194271.htm
House Committee Passes Smoking Ban
March 15, 2005
People should be allowed to smoke in bars, even if they can NOT smoke anywhere else.
That's what a House committee decided this afternoon as they approved a smoking ban that has already passed the Senate.
But the Senate version included no exception for bars and restaurants.
The House changed the bill to allow bars and restaurants where you have to be 18 to enter to still allow indoor smoking.
The House also exempted smoking lounges at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport beca
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