Pennsylvania Moves Closer to a Smoke-Free Casinos

In a move towards a healthier environment in Pennsylvania’s casinos, Allegheny County Democratic Rep. Dan Frankel is making strides to ban indoor smoking within the state’s gambling establishments. Frankel, also the majority chair of the health committee, is leading the charge with House Bill 1657, known as the Protecting Workers from Secondhand Smoke Act.

Pennsylvania’s Smoking Ban Bill Advances to Crucial Health Committee Meeting

Scheduled for a vote on November 15, the bill aims to eliminate smoking inside casinos, creating a cleaner and safer atmosphere for both employees and patrons. The proposed legislation has already completed the initial stages, with Frankel actively garnering support from colleagues to co-sponsor the bill and successfully navigating it through committee discussions.

The health committee meeting, slated for next week, will mark the crucial fourth step in the process. At the meeting, 25 committee members, comprising 14 Democrats and 11 Republicans, will have the opportunity to offer amendments to the bill, which will be voted on individually.

Frankel expressed confidence that the bill would receive an affirmative vote and bipartisan support, emphasizing that he does not bring a bill forward without certainty of its success, reported PlayPennsylvania.

While the timeline for the bill’s progress remains uncertain, Frankel is optimistic about its prospects. He hopes to see the bill on Gov. Josh Shapiro‘s desk for approval by March or April, a move that would mark the final step in the process. Frankel expressed confidence in Shapiro’s support for the legislation, underscoring the importance of prioritizing public health and safety in Pennsylvania’s thriving casino industry.

Parx Casino Paves the Way for Healthier Workplaces in Pennsylvania

One of the key arguments in favor of the smoke-free initiative is the positive impact it could have on the casino industry’s workforce. Parx, a leading casino operator, demonstrated that eliminating smoking does not hinder success. Both of Parx’s venues, in Bensalem and Shippensburg, have remained smoke-free since the pandemic. Notably, this decision has led to improved employee morale and reduced healthcare costs, as confirmed by Parx’s Chief Marketing Officer, Marc Oppenheimer.

Frankel emphasized that a smoke-free environment not only benefits employees but also enhances the experience for non-smoking patrons. He pointed out that those who wish to smoke still have the option to enjoy casino games online from the comfort of their homes.

Frankel’s initiative comes after previous attempts to implement similar legislation faced opposition, citing potential revenue drops. Advocates, including Pennsylvania’s Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) chapter, believe the ban could save lives and protect workers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Currently, only a few casinos in the state have voluntarily banned smoking, while others continue to exploit the existing loopholes.

Related Posts

Game Of Thrones Dunk & Egg Spin-Off Has A "Much Different Tone," GRRM Says

The next Game of Thrones spin-off series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is moving ahead at HBO, and now George R.R. Martin has shared a little more insight into what to expect from it. Posting on his blog, Martin said the team recently had their first table read, and it “went great.”

The series, which is based on Martin’s 160-page novella in his Dunk & Egg series, will be “a lot shorter” than Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, he said. There are six episodes in all. It will also have a “much different tone,” he said.

“But it’s still Westeros, so no one is truly safe,” he said.

Screenwriter Ira Parker is leading the team making A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and Martin said Parker and the squad are “doing a great job” so far. He said he hopes to visit the se…

Halo Infinite Season 2 Will Include TV Series Tie-In DLC

Halo Infinite is getting tie-in DLC for the Paramount+ TV series. 343 Industries has announced when it’s arriving, and it’s sooner than some might have imagined. Come from Sports betting site VPbet

In a blog post, 343 said the upcoming Season 2: Lone Wolves update will add a “series of show-related cosmetic items.” 343 did not, however, reveal what this content will be specifically, nor did the studio say if it will be free or paid. It looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer to learn more.

Fortnite- Where To Collect Doomsday Prepper Guide – Week 4 Legendary Quest

One of the final Fortnite Week 4 challenges tells you to collect the doomsday prepper guide. This is another story-related item that will only appear when you have the quest active and, once collected, will disappear permanently. But most people are in it just for the XP anyway, so here’s everything you need to know about the Doomsday Prepper Guide location.

Where To Collect The Doomsday Prepper Guide In Fortnite

Unlike all the other Legendary Quests in the Fortnite Week 4 challenges, this one requires you to locate just one item. We’ll get to the story significance in a moment, but for now you surely just want to know where to find this doomsday prepper guide. Let’s get to it.

The doomsday prepper guide is found at Hydro 16, which is the brick build…

Thymesia Review – Hunter Homage

A lot of games have drawn inspiration from the works of From Software, with varying degrees of success. While many developers look to emulate that high degree of challenge that comes from the likes of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro, they often miss the fact that it’s From’s thoughtful, tight gameplay and deliberate encounter design that makes these games fun, not just a punishing difficulty. Thymesia, a 3D action game that draws heavy influence from some specific From titles, manages to strike that balance successfully, creating a Souls-like that taps into the same rewarding moments provided by its biggest inspirations.

Thymesia draws most obviously from two of From Software’s games: the aggressive, horror-inspired Bloodborne, and the fast-paced, duel-focus…

Batman Forever's Darker "Schumacher Cut" Should Be Released, Writer Says

Almost 30 years ago, Batman Forever changed the trajectory of the Batman movie franchise and became the biggest movie of 1995. It brought camp energy, became exponentially toyetic, and even expanded the DC film verse at the time with a quick mention of Metropolis. It also had a darker edit to the film that has yet to be officially released.

Batman Forever writer and Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman wants that edit of the film to have an official release, similar to that of Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Richard Donner’s Superman 2 Come from Sports betting site VPbet . “I saw [the “Schumacher Cut”] recently, and it’s funny because there’s been a swell on the Internet for it, and I stay out of it, mostly,” he said on …

Path Of Exile 2- How To Identify Items For Free

Grinding Gear Games has launched Path of Exile 2 in early access, adding a plethora of mechanics, features, and improvements across the boards. Living up to tradition, some things haven’t changed, such as the need to identify rare items using scrolls.

While a similar system, portal scrolls, has been simplified, you still need to collect identify scrolls if you want to see the stats of loot and wear it on the go. That being said, there’s an NPC that makes the process much less arduous. Here’s how to identify items for free in Path of Exile 2.

How to complete Sorrow Among Stones in Path of Exile 2

In order to unlock the ability to identify items for free, you’ll first need to reanimate a certain NPC. This is part of the main questline throughout Act 1 …