Lafayette Councilman Wants Public To Comment On Smoking In Bars

Lafayette City Parish Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux tells KPEL that he would like to know more about what the public has to say about smoking in bars.  Previously, the Lafayette City Parish proposed a program that aimed to commend bars if they decided to no allow smoking in their bars.  Boudreaux says, "he wants to hear what people have to say, so to not pass another law" without getting the picture from several groups.

Boudreaux says there is a group of people who have expressed to him that they believe there should not be smoking in bars, but he says the same is true for other people who have suggested that it should be left up to the business owners.  Boudreaux says he hoped by having a series of meetings he will get the chance to hear from all sectors of the population wishing to comment on the issue.

Boudreaux says town hall meetings would be a good venue to hear from different individuals about the idea of passing a city/parish ordinance to bar smoking in bars.  He says often musicians and employees of those establishments are caught between a "rock and hard place" as they want to play in the bars or work there, but they have to endure the second hand smoke. The councilman also says he plans to try to meet with each individual bar owner to get their thoughts on the issue.