80% Solution Reached on Smoking In NJ.

Business Editors

TRENTON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 16, 2003

In a major development today, the New Jersey Restaurant Association (NJRA) and Assembly Health & Human Services Committee made progress towards an agreement on statewide smoking legislation.

During today's Assembly Health & Human Services Committee meeting, Assemblyman Jerry Green offered amendments to A-688, The Clean Indoor Air Act, that the NJRA finds acceptable. The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora.

"The committee has recognized that this legislation will have economic consequences on an important industry, and in order to neutralize the impact, amendments have been approved that keep the level playing field we have been fighting so hard to maintain," commented John Byrne, president of the NJRA and owner of La Campagne Restaurant in Cherry Hill.

The proposed amendments would require that all public places of accommodation from restaurants to casinos would be required to dedicate 80% of their premises to non-smoking. Smoking would be permitted in 20% of the dining area and in the bar area. Smoking would also be permitted in bars. Those restaurants that choose to remain or go smoke-free may do so.

"We still believe that we are private businesses and should be able to choose our policy, however the consensus in the industry is that this is fair and uniform solution to this difficult debate. It will preserve that portion of business our members feel they need in order to accommodate their customers," added Deborah Dowdell, Executive Vice President of the NJRA.

NJRA invited Ciernan Staunten owns O'Neill's in New York who explained that he has laid off 3 workers since the ban went into effect on April 1 and his sales are down 20%. When asked by the committee what the effect has been in California, Tom Schmierer of The Alchemist & Barrister in Princeton noted that the economy was strong when that ban went into effect in California five years prior. "First of all, the ban is not enforced in California. Restaurants and bars can't sustain another blow. A smoking ban in NJ would cause further hardship to an industry that is suffering from a weak economy, bad weather and a downturn in the tourism industry of which restaurants make up more than one third. NJ restaurant owners report they will be forced to lay off workers if this legislation is enacted," noted Schmierer.

The 61-year-old NJRA is a statewide organization based in Trenton, NJ. NJRA represents 21,000 food, beverage and hospitality industry establishments employing 200,000 people and generating $8.5 billion per year in sales.

RESTAURANT OPERATORS IN TRENTON ON JUNE 23

Some leading restaurant operators from across the State of NJ will be in Trenton on Monday, June 23, 2003 to discuss smoking mandates and other business and trend issues during Lobby Day from Noon to 5:00 PM. The home base of the event will be the NJRA headquarters building located at 126 West State Street in Trenton. If interested in attending and would like to join the group for lunch, please contact NJRA at 609/599-3316.