State?s Clean Indoor Air Act Evens Playing Field

Gov. Mike Huckabee signed The Arkansas Clean Indoor Air Act on April 7 after the state Legislature passed the law in March. The act, which will become effective in July, bans smoking in all places of employment and indoor public areas, including all restaurants.

Some exceptions include bars where no one under the age of 21 is allowed to enter and businesses the public cannot enter that employ fewer than three people. Smoking will be allowed in designated smoking rooms in hotels and motels that have more than 25 rooms, as long as no more than 20 percent of the rooms are smoking rooms.

Last month, Fayetteville Police Chief Frank Johnson clarified the city’s no-smoking ordinance in restaurants, saying that smoking is prohibited anywhere food is cooked, prepared or warmed. Fayetteville police will begin enforcing that regulation on May 1.

Fayetteville Police Sgt. Shannon Gabbard said the city’s ordinance will not interfere with the state’s new act.

“I have not seen the full reading of that law,” Gabbard said, “But I don’t think there’s a conflict … I think there’s parity.”

Gabbard added that the Arkansas smoking ban is stricter, which will make it a “more even playing field across the state.”