Attempts to stop smoking in restaurants can’t get started

One state Senator says there’s really no one out there enforcing the lawwhich requires restaurants to reserve a “no smoking” section for diners. Senator Gene Maddox, a republican from Clive, has tried for the past twoyears to get his colleagues to pass a bill which would let police officersenforce the rules. Right now, the authority to enforce smoking restrictionsin restaurants rests with county health officials, but they’re bothreluctant to enforce the rules — and backed up with other duties.Maddox says state officials in the department of inspections and appealshave the authority to police the smoking restrictions, too, but they don’t.Maddox ran up against several hurdles. First, members of the Senate StateGovernment committee didn’t want to make the move because some Senators wereworried Des Moines police would come up to the capitol and find out theSenate has reserved a special room solely for smoking. Maddox offered togive capitol security officers the authority to enforce Senate rules, whichdo allow for “the smoking room.”