Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Bill That Would Have Allowed for New Cigar Bars

Turns out, there will not be new cigar bars in Wisconsin.

On Friday, Gov. Tony Evers announced that he was vetoing nine bills that were recently passed by the state’s legislature, including one that would have allowed for new cigar bars in the state. Last month, the Wisconsin Legislature passed A.B. 211, a bill that would have modified the state’s 2009 smoking ban to allow for a new license for “tobacco bars.”

The 2009 law bans the creation of new cigar bars in the state, but an effort was made to try to exempt them.

A.B. 211 would have allowed for new licenses if they met nine different conditions, including having air filtration, banning anyone under the age of 21 years old from entering the premises, having employees acknowledge they are working in a smoking environment and more.

Now, those efforts are for not. Cigar bars that were operating as of June 4, 2009—when the state’s indoor smoking ban was signed into law—are able to remain open.

In a statement, Evers said that as a former smoker and cancer survivor, he could not sign the bill.

Given that the bill passed 18-15 in the Wisconsin Senate, it seems unlikely there will be enough votes to meet the two-thirds supermajority that it would take to override Evers’ veto.