An Iowa Senate subcommittee on Monday rejected legislation that would have removed the exemption allowing smoking on casino floors, despite testimony from health advocates warning of secondhand smoke risks to workers.
The bill, Senate File 2051, would have applied the Iowa Smokefree Air Act to gambling structures, excursion gambling boats, and racetracks.
Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, did not vote in favor of the bill but said during the hearing that the casino smoking exemption would be reversed “relatively soon.” Bisignano, who said he “participates” in casino activities and serves on the board of directors for Prairie Meadows, called it an “absurdity” that casinos were excluded from the original clean air law…