With less than two weeks until the smoking ban, or Clean Indoor Air Act, goes into effect, many bar/restaurant owners are still confused about what the ban truly means.
Here's a quick tutorial, but for more information, check out the Pennsylvania Smoking Ban FAQ at the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association website.
If you're a bar/restaurant owner, you must apply for an exception if you want to allow smoking. The legislation says that a drinking establishment, cigar bar or tobacco shop must submit a letter, accompanied by verifiable supporting documentation, to apply for an exception. The exception will be based on the establishment's books, accounts, revenues or receipts, including those reported to the Dept. of Revenue, from the previous year or stated project annual revenues. Verification will take place within six months.
Here is a guide from the Dept. of Health, and here is the application.
For a private club to qualify for the exception, it must take a record a vote of its officers to address smoking in the club's facilities.
And, this I did not know until Josh mentioned in the comments, but the definition of a "drinking establishment" as described in the bill does clearly say that it does not include "a nightclub."
However, I'm not sure what that really means for our local "clubs." Most probably operate under a restaurant license, but this does make it very gray. (I've submitted an inquiry to the Dept. of Health, and I will update when I know more.)
There's more after the jump.
