But do-not-call bill approved and signed by governor.
By: Jennifer Potash
A bill in the state Legislature that would prohibit smoking in bars and restaurants statewide may have lost some of its legislative fire, but residents are slated to receive some relief from unwanted telemarketing calls following the signing of another piece of legislation.
The Senate’s Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee declined to take action Monday on the Clean Indoor Air Act, which would ban smoking at most public places such as sports facilities, shopping malls and apartment building lobbies.
The bill has made it through the Assembly Health and Human Service Committee, but the Senate panel voted to delay action Monday after hearing concerns from restaurant and bar owners about the economic impact of the ban.
The bill would authorize exemptions for owner-operated restaurants and taverns where the owners do the cooking and bartending. Smoking would also be allowed in social or fraternal organizations, tobacconist shops and cigar bars if equipped with a separate ventilation systems.
The Princeton Regional Health Commission adopted an ordinance in 2000 banning smoking in all public and quasi-public places, including clubs and hotels. The ordinance was overturned in Mercer County Superior Court.
While the Clean Indoor Air Act was stalled, another consumer-related issue fared better in the Legislature. Gov. James E. McGreevey signed a bill into law Wednesday establishing a "do-not-call" list that helps residents limit unsolicited phone calls.
The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Sens. Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence) and Peter Inverso (R-Hamilton), creates a toll-free number for residents to call and put their names on a registry of people telemarketers are prohibited from contacting.
Telemarketers who call those on the list face fines of up to $20,000.
The law also creates an annual fee for telemarketers; bans marketing calls to cellphones; requires telemarketers to identify themselves as such within the first 30 seconds of a call; and bans the calls between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Telemarketers are prohibited from intentionally using methods to block or circumvent a caller identification service.
Political campaigns, pollsters, charities and nonprofit groups and companies collecting on accounts are exempt from the law.
The long process of setting up the program means citizens will not be able to sign up for the "do not call" list for about a year.

