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Assembly Republican Whip Brian Bergen is showing his support for Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), the group that is the main driving force behind the effort to ban smoking in Atlantic City casinos. Bergen called out Speaker Craig Coughlin for not adding the Atlantic City casinos smoking ban bill to the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee meeting agenda on Thursday.
New Jersey Assembly Republican leadership has not been shy in voicing public support for casino workers. In September, Republican Leader John DiMaio (R-Hunterdon, Somerset & Warren) called called on Democrats for dragging their feet on the issue.
This time, it’s Bergen who spoke out, telling the NJ Assembly GOP:
“Leaving the casino smoking ban bill off the tourism committee’s agenda is more than an oversight. It’s an insult. There is enough support from both sides of the aisle to advance this bill. The Speaker has no excuse not to take immediate action to ban harmful second-hand smoke exposure at casinos.”
CEASE ‘grateful’ for Bergen’s comments
CEASE has been fighting to close the 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act for years, in multiple states, including neighboring Pennsylvania. Their efforts have not, yet, yielded the results it wants.
CEASE has turned its attention to pressuring lawmakers into doing what’s right. The organization certainly has an ally in Bergen, as well as other Republican leaders.
Pete Naccarelli, table games dealer and CEASE co-founder, is appreciative of Bergen’s words. He said in a press release emailed to PlayNJ:
“We’re grateful to Assemblyman Bergen for standing up for casino workers and making our safety a priority. Now, we urge Speaker Coughlin to prioritize our health and safety by advancing this bill without further delay.
“Casino workers have waited far too long for the same protections afforded to almost every other New Jersey worker. Safe work environments and clean air are popular bipartisan issues.
“We’re only asking for what other New Jersey workers already have: the right to breathe clean air in our workplace. It’s time to end the double standard and give us the safe, healthy workplace we deserve.”
Smoking bill hasn’t been added to agenda
According to the New Jersey Legislature, the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m.
There are five agenda items on the list, and S1493, the bill to ban smoking in Atlantic City casinos, is not on the agenda. Bergen continued in his comments, believing the smoking ban is much more essential.
“None of the bills currently on the agenda have the potential positive impact equal to this smoking ban bill.”
The bill is currently sitting in the Senate committee, which has had no movement since January, when Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr. (D), introduced it.
CEASE will not rest until there in clean air in every casino in the Garden State.
