Supporters of a statewide smoking ban brought high-profile help from the world of sports while rallying Thursday in the Capitol Rotunda for their cause.
A new poll shows more than half of Kentuckians interviewed last fall support a state law to ban smoking in indoor public places. The poll from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati finds about 6 out of 10 would support such a ban. That’s up from fewer than half of those polled in 2010. However, the measure isn’t getting much political support because so much of the region depends on tobacco farming.
Pension reform, updating liquor laws, expanded gaming, a state-wide smoking ban and legalizing the production of industrial hemp are just a few issues Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Bureau Chief Kenny Colston thinks will be on the agenda for this year's legislative session in Frankfort. Colston speaks with Chad Lampe about the details surrounding some of those issues and who will fill retiring Sen. Ken Winters's (R-Murray) seat on the senate education committee. Plus, hear if there are any hard feeling between Sen. Bob Leeper (I-Paducah) and Senate President-elect Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) after his failed attempt at seeking the top post in the Senate.
Hospital patients, employees and visitors will be banned from smoking, using chewing tobacco and puffing on electronic cigarettes at Baptist Hospital Madisonville and its various campuses around western Kentucky. The hospital is implementing the new rule on Tuesday. Hospital CEO Bert Whitaker says both patients and visitors have objected to entering the hospital through a cloud of cigarette smoke that wafted over from nearby smoking areas.
