New Jersey Lawmakers to Consider Indoor Smoking Ban at Atlantic City Casinos
Posted on: October 20, 2023, 08:39h     Last updated on: October 20, 2023, 08:40h
Lawmakers in New Jersey are set to discuss potential legislation that would ban indoor smoking at Atlantic City’s nine casinos following the November elections. Currently, casinos and pari-mutuel facilities are allowed to allocate up to 25% of their gaming floor space for tobacco smoking due to an exemption in the state’s Smoke-Free Air Act of 2006.
Senate Bill 264 and Assembly Bill 2151, which have gained support from a majority of state senators and assemblypersons, are the proposed legislation that would eliminate the smoking exemption. However, Democratic leadership has delayed the bills thus far, stirring controversy surrounding the potential job losses in the casino industry.
SB264/AB2151 have garnered significant support and are expected to be voted on later this year. Governor Phil Murphy, who has expressed his willingness to sign the legislation, aims to make casinos, horse racetracks, and off-track betting facilities smoke-free.
Upcoming Legislative Action
According to New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari, SB264 will be addressed once the November 7 elections conclude. This information was revealed by Politico’s New Jersey reporter, Daniel Han.
During the statewide elections, all 40 Senate seats and all 80 Assembly seats will be up for grabs. The Democratic Party hopes to maintain control of both chambers, with the majority currently holding 25 Senate seats and 46 Assembly seats.
The smoking ban issue has been postponed to the 2024 legislative session, as Democratic leadership fears the impact on job numbers and gaming revenue. However, there are reports suggesting that legislative action is imminent.
CEASE (Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects), an organization advocating for a smoke-free environment in Atlantic City, expressed gratitude for the news of potential legislative action. They have emphasized the importance of prioritizing the health of casino employees and reject any attempts to weaken the proposed legislation.
In response to the news, CEASE released a statement saying, “We are encouraged by the news that the Senate plans to hold a vote on bipartisan legislation to end indoor smoking at our workplaces later this year. For more than 17 years, we have been the only workers in New Jersey forced to choose between our health and a paycheck. Continuing to compromise our health in any way is unacceptable, and we are gratified that the bill sponsors have said that they will reject any attempts to water this legislation down, period.”
Opposition to the smoking ban comes from the Casino Association of New Jersey and Unite Here Local 54, the labor union representing nongaming resort workers in Atlantic City. They argue that a ban would lead to significant job losses and a decline in gaming revenue. The casino association also suggests that smokers would choose to visit nearby Philadelphia casinos, where indoor smoking is still permitted. However, it should be noted that Parx Casino, a leading establishment in Pennsylvania, is already smoke-free.