Law Allows Reimbursement for Restaurant Smoking Rooms

A measure signed into law in Oklahoma would allow restaurant owners to recoup up to half of the cost of building special ventilated smoking rooms, Business Week reported May 9.

The Clean Air in Restaurants Act is intended to provide an incentive for eateries to go smoke-free. The rebate offer is good through January 2013. “This is pro-health, pro-family legislation that everyone can support,” said Gov. Brad Henry.

Funding for the program would come from state tobacco-tax revenues.

Oklahoma’s indoor-smoking ban, passed in 2003, exempts bars as well as establishments that set up separate smoking rooms. The rooms typically require an investment of $30,000 to $40,000 by restaurant owners.