Since when is a Business owner required to enforce a law,any law?
A court battle should be forthcoming.And an end to fining Business owners for so called,non-compliance.
Regardless of the law,the patrons,managers,owners,and help should never be held responsible for not reporting smokers,they should not take a chance on bringing harm to themselves,just to appease the State and it's idiotic smoking ban.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_507032.html
Lithuanian club still faces fine for smoking
By Allison M. Heinrichs
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, May 10, 2007
A Lithuanian social club will pay a fine for violating the Allegheny County smoking ban, but the size of the penalty won't be determined until a court rules on a challenge to the smoking ban.
The Lithuanian Citizens' Society of Pennsylvania faces a $16,260 fine after an inspector saw 65 people smoking during a society bingo event on March 21.
"Clearly we're not going to give them the full $16,000 fine," said Dr. Bruce Dixon, health department director, following a brief five-minute hearing at health department offices in Lawrenceville this morning.
Dixon said the society would be levied some fine, because the department needs to make clear to people that they must adhere to the ban, but he is waiting for Commonwealth Court to rule on a legal challenge filed by two Downtown restaurateurs.
Dixon said he expects a ruling to take several months.
"It's an amicable agreement." John Baltrus, president of the society, located on the South Side, about Dixon's decision to wait.
Smoking has been prohibited inside and within 5 feet of doorways of most public places throughout the county. Bars and restaurants are temporarily exempted because of the lawsuit, which argues that the county law comes with unfair loopholes, including one that allows bars deriving less than 10 percent of their sales from food and employing fewer than 10 people to allow smoking to continue.
Allison M. Heinrichs can be reached at aheinrichs@tribweb.com or (412) 380-5607. |
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