Posted on: November 15, 2024, 10:56h.
Last updated on: November 15, 2024, 11:18h.
The grassroots coalition of Atlantic City casino workers fighting for clean indoor air has another powerful ally.
Legislative discussions about casino smoking inside the nine Atlantic City resorts have lingered in the Trenton capital for years. Previous legislative sessions have garnered enough support in both chambers of the New Jersey Legislature to send a bill to Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) desk to force the brick-and-mortar casinos to go 100% smoke-free.
Democrats, who control the General Assembly and Senate, have stalled the casino smoking bills since 2022 when the gaming lobby pushed back on the statutes. The controversy has remained, however, and a bill in the lower house has again fielded enough support by way of co-sponsors for the measure to pass to the Senate.
The measure — Assembly Bill 2143 — has been mothballed in the Assembly Tourism, Gaming, and the Arts Committee. Chaired by Assemblyman Bill Moen (D-Camden), the committee chair has taken orders from his Democratic leaders to delay a vote on the smoking ban proposal.
GOP Backing Smoking Ban
Banning casino smoking has become a political rallying call among Garden State Republicans, who continue to make gains in the Democratic stronghold. President-elect Donald Trump won more than 46% of the vote in New Jersey last week, the highest for a Republican presidential candidate in the state since New Jersey last went red in 1988 with George H.W. Bush.
In September, Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-Warren) expressed his support for bringing the casino smoking bills across the finish line.
“If Democrats are serious about protecting workers, Republicans are ready to help pass the bill. We need legislative action, not excuses,” DiMaio declared.
This week, Assembly Republican Whip Brian Bergen lent his support to the effort. Bergen called on Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) to instruct his legislative juniors to act on AB2143 and the Senate version — Senate Bill 1493.
“Leaving the casino smoking ban bill off the Tourism Committee’s agenda is more than an oversight. It’s an insult,” said Bergen, as reported by NJ Assembly GOP.
There is enough support from both sides of the aisle to advance this bill. The speaker has no excuse not to take immediate action to ban harmful secondhand smoke exposure at casinos,” Bergen continued.
“Casino employees have waited long enough for a healthy workplace. New Jersey has applied the ban on smoking to outdoor locations, on beaches, and in parks, but Democrats can’t get behind expediting expanded protections for casino workers. It’s inexplicable,” the GOP Assembly whip concluded.
2024 Support
AB2143 was introduced in January by Assemblymembers Moen and Herb Conaway (D-Delran).
The measure has since been co-sponsored by 40 other assemblypersons, including a majority of the Assembly Tourism, Gaming, and the Arts Committee. With 43 Assembly sponsors, AB2143 has enough support to pass the 80-seat legislative chamber.
SB1493 was also introduced in January by Senators Shirley Turner (D-Ewing Township) and Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge). Turner and Vitale have been joined by 15 Senate colleagues in the 40-seat chamber.
Democratic brass has reportedly slowed the casino smoking reviews on pleas from the Atlantic City gaming industry, which contends a smoking ban would lead to job layoffs, reduced tax revenue, and possibly a resort or two being closed.
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