Smoking Ban Lawsuit

Murray, KY – Two Hopkins County Businessmen are challenging their county's recently enacted smoking ban. Thomas Richardson and James Haulk claim the ban, adopted by the Hopkins County board of health, to be unconstitutional. The men have filed a formal lawsuit to prevent the ban from going into effect. The suit claims the board did not have the legal authority to enact or enforce the regulation and acted outside its authority. It also claims the ban does not establish explicit standards for the regulation's application and enforcement. Paducah Attorney Michael Walker represents the plaintiffs and tells the Madisonville Messenger he will seek to have the regulation declared illegal and believes such a ban should be passed by a Fiscal Court or City Council.