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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A day after snuffing out a bill to ban smoking in private clubs and taverns, the Utah Senate on Wednesday reconsidered the measure and passed it.
Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, asked the Senate to reconsider the bill, even though he had voted against it Tuesday.
Bramble and Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, were the only two in the Senate to switch their votes on Wednesday.
The vote hovered at 14-14 momentarily before Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, broke the tie to pass the bill 15-14.
The bill amends the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act to remove private clubs and taverns from the list of those places where indoor smoking is still allowed in Utah. Sponsor Sen. Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, has said the objective of the bill is to protect the health of club and tavern workers by preventing their exposure to secondhand smoke.
Those that voted against the bill said on Tuesday said it infringed too much on personal freedoms and that it was unnecessary as nothing prevents club owners from already posting "No Smoking signs.
The bill now goes to the House for consideration.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
