A Franklin County judge granted a temporary restraining order that prohibits local health departments from allowing a smoking ban exemption for private clubs. A group of bar and restaurant owners sought the injunction against the Ohio Department of Health, claiming the exemption put them at a disadvantage when competing for customers and exceeded the law approved by voters. See Private Clubs Forced to Wait on Exemption by Paul Kostyu, The Times-Reporter, May 1, 2007; Judge Blocks Smoking-Ban Exemption for Private Clubs by Kevin Mayhood and James Nash, Columbus Dispatch, Apr. 30, 2007. The case is Ohio Licensed Beverage Assn. v. Ohio Dept. Health, Franklin County Common Pleas Case No. 07-CV-005103. The docket can be viewed at Franklin County Case Information Online.
See our prior post: Lawsuits Filed to Stop Smoking Ban.