The smoke has cleared in the Indiana House of Representatives where a statewide smoking ban bill passed this afternoon by a vote of 62 to 34.

The list of local lawmakers who voted yes includes Bauer, Dembowski, Dvorak, Fry, Neese, Pelath, and Yarde.

He list of lawmakers who voted no includes Culver, Dermody, Friend, Kubacki, Niezgodski, Wesco, and Wolkins.

Today marked the fifth time that the house has approved a statewide ban on smoking in public places.

“The senate has never debated this, I would ask you to pass it out today, give the senate a chance to debate it, we don’t even know how the bill is going to look when it comes back but I’d like to give them that opportunity,” said Rep. Eric Turner, (R) Cicero before the vote.

The bill passed by the house today is unique in that it is the first to go so far as to ban smoking in bars and taverns, albeit after an 18 month grade period. The bill does have exemptions for casinos and private clubs.

“What troubles me the most and it makes me really angry because casinos, come on, you know what we’re going to exempt casinos,” said Rep. David Niezgodski, (D) South Bend. “So you’re in essence, you’re saying I, or we, as a whole, want to subject large numbers of people to killing over the almighty dollar, and that’s ridiculous.”

A private club could continue to allow smoking only if its membership voted to do so. If a private club decided to allow smoking it could no longer admit persons under the age of 18.

Indiana would become the 30th state to pass a comprehensive ban. “A study that was just released by Market Opinion Research last week, 70-percent of Hoosiers support a law that would prohibit smoking in indoor work places, public places including restaurants and bars, 70-percent,” said Rep. Turner.

“The tail should not wag the dog in this issue, in terms of us making a decision for the minority versus the majority of our, your constituents,” said Rep. Charlie Brown, (D) Gary.